


The Side Doors

by Spaceflowerprincess



Series: Doors [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: And a teeny bit of angst, Boys Kissing, But consensual, F/F, F/M, Fluff, He just wants to draw, I'd Say I'm Sorry but I'm not, I'm Sorry, James and Lily didn't have the best marriage, James and Sirius never change they are perpetual children, Looking at Love through the Black sisters eyes what fun!, M/M, My poor babies, Pre-Slash, Regulus and Anna is a little underage, Remus is a little shit, She thought he was hot shit he was overwhelmed and loved every minute of it, Sirius is innocent here, The Lupin Chronicles, What are lemons? that before me, and they love each other, james respected Remus' privacy more than he trusted Lily, more like cry your eyes out, okay no its sad, stupid boy, thats a thing still right?, they tried though, you people are old
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-30
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-03-09 17:47:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 22,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3258776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spaceflowerprincess/pseuds/Spaceflowerprincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>These are the one shots from other characters points of view in Open Doors.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Table of contents

**Author's Note:**

> This is just the table of contents divided up in to the stories

**Table of Contents**

* * *

**The Black Sister's T** **ales**

_Andromeda and Lucius_

_Narcissa and Regulus_

_Bellatrix and Love_

* * *

**Marauders At Hogwarts**

_The Explanation_

_Potion Class_

_To End in Fire Or Water_

_What He Didn't Say_

_The Bookstore_

_Those Kinds of Girls_

_Head Boy_

_Modeling_

* * *

**Standing On Their Own Two Feet** _  
_

_The Cottage_

_Regulus' Anna_

_The Cat_

_Dancing_

_Boys' Night Out_

* * *

**The Lupin** **Chronicles**

_Twenty-two_

_New Years_

_A Hair Cut_

_Petunia's Gift_

_Photograph_

_Safte _y__

_Moving In_

* * *

  **Pink Haired Dragons**

_Reunion_

_Ghosts Don’t Stand Still_

_Sickle For Your Thoughts_

_Nesting_

_Heir to a Legacy_

_Reunion Reprised_

* * *

**Wonder of The damned**

_Knowing_

_Forgetful_

_Molly's_ _Wonder_

_A Child's cry_

* * *

**Rebuilding Their Lives**

_A Second Chance_

_Photo Ablums_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the order it should be read in, its the most chronological order anyway


	2. Andromeda and Lucius

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andromeda and Lucius were once engaged

**The Black Sister's Tales**

* * *

**Andromeda and Lucius**

* * *

When Lucius was nine his arranged marriage was final. He was to marry Andromeda Black of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Lucius wasn't quite sure what that meant, marriage. He shrugged his shoulder when his mother told him he would much rather go play on his broom with Rodolphous Lestrange.

In 1965 when Lucius was eleven he entered Hogwarts just after his mother died in a explosion he wasn't told much about. At twelve Bellatrix had long curly black hair and her figure just forming. Lucius never understood why she was so mean when he meet Andromeda his future wife he meet her parent and they seemed nicer than his own, not that he was complaining his own were the best he could ask for and being a pureblood he always asked for the best. As the year wore on Lucius realized something about Bellatrix, she was a bully, even to the pure bloods.

Andromeda was another story. She was sorted in to Slytherin as expected from all Black family members. Lucius watched her with curiosity. Andromeda took great pleasure in wearing dresses when she didn't have to wear her school uniform. Her favorite was a white one with a blue sash, Lucius favored her dark green dress with a pale pink sash. Over all Andromeda was much sweeter than Bellatrix. She was the rose to Bellatrix's thorn. Her friend never had a common them except they were all unique. she never asked blood statues or listened when told. Lucius came to the conclusion all girls were strange there was simply no understanding them, especially The Black girls.

Still he was glad it was Andromeda he was marring she was sweet with a wild streak that would for ever keep him on his toes.

When Andromeda's little sister came to school in 1968 Lucius and Andromeda were close friends. Narcissa was yet another mystery to add to the pile of mysteries girls created for him. She was kind a good person to talk to because she actually listened, but she couldn't stand the dresses her older sister loved so much. Narcissa had been closer to Sirius for the past few years than any other person so she liked to play in the mud a lot. Andromeda was forever braiding Narcissa's blond hair to keep it clean.

Over the next few years Narcissa settled into being a less of a tomboy and found she liked the girly things she could do without playing in the mud. Andromeda looked a bit more than relived when her sister decided she like dress designing more than ripping up her play cloths.

In 1971 Bellatrix black had left Hogwarts so Lucius and Andromeda were in their seventh year and Narcissa in to fourth year at fourteen. 1971 also brought Andromeda's cousin Sirius. Lucius had visited a couple times that summer and Sirius was a mood ten year old complaining about some Teddy. Lucius added children to the list of things he didn't understand, girls still top his list. Sirius shook things up with his sorting. A Gryffendor. Lucius wasn't all that surprised anyone with half a brain could tell the boy was a Gryffendor since the time he could walk. Although Black are hardly expected to see what they don't look for.

Sirius' sorting had an unexpected affect on Andromeda. She seemed to gain courage from his sorting. She sat with her friends in the other houses at meal times when she could. When Lucius plead with her to be more sensible about what she does in the public eye with her friends. Andromeda told him the Wizarding world needed to change before it tore itself up.

Lucius watched his fiancee fall more and more in love with a boy who was not him. Lucius didn't love Andromeda, as long as they had a heir to his house hold she could have her affairs.

In late February Lucius received a note to meet her by the lake. She sometimes ice skated on it when it was frozen over. Lucius vaguely wondered what it was like.

"Lucius do you really love me?" Andromeda asked, "Or am I just another pureblood duty to you?"

She said that a lot 'pureblood duty' Lucius had heard it often enough to wonder who came up with it. Pureblood's didn't have duties they did society favors by simply being there.

"In the romantical sense?" Lucius asked bidding his time.

Andromeda's eyes flickered to the Ravenclaw tower.

"Yeah."

"I'm not sure I just know I want to you to be happy. Doesn't love come after marriage?" Lucius asked. Andromeda smiled sweetly.

"Only in our world."

Lucius eyes narrowed, "Andy what's this about?"

Andromeda blushed while looking at the ground. Today she had worn a frothy pink dress under a black cloak he thought the sash was a darker rose color. Her high heal boot were crossed at the ankles. "A boy asked me out to Hogsmade in September. He found out I was engaged and wants to break off."

The Muggleborn. Lucius suddenly wished his hair wasn't pulled back to the nape of his neck with a black ribbon. "And?"

"I don't want to. I like him. I think I might even love him."

"Are you happy with him?"

Andromeda looked to the cloudy sky. "I like the way he intends to live it makes much more sense and...Sirius will need someone on his side."

Sirius wasn't a topic Andromeda like to talk about. They had been close before Andromeda left for Hogwarts and now Sirius was enjoying boys his age who weren't as delicate as Regulus.

"So what do I have to do with this?"

"I'm engaged to you I have been since I was nine," Andromeda gritted out, very unlike her.

"You want permission to defy the arrangement."

"It affects you to, because I'm a  _pureblood_. Merlin I hate that term."

"Andromeda you're a sensible girl."

"Clearly I'm not. I've gone and falling in love with what my aunt would call him a filthy animal. She married her own cousin."

"Second, her and Orion's parents were cousins."

"Still."

"I give you permission to break it off after graduation. I'm not having my best friend thrown out to live on her own."

"Oh please Uncle Alpherd would take me in."

"After you graduate you can blow up you families ancestral home for all I bloody well care, I want you safe and happy."

"What about you're life?" Andromeda suddenly asks.

"I don't know I'll- my marriage will be rearranged and I'll marry another pureblood girl and we'll have bucket loads of heirs pretty much living as expected, just without you."

"I don't want that life Luce. It's not me."

"Molly Prewett married a Weasley and I hear she's still having a hard time adjusting to no money," Lucius blurts out. Lucius like to the Prewetts they were interesting.

Andromeda shrugged. "I don't mind giving up my dresses."

"Wonder who my new fiancee will be," Lucius says out loud.

"Narcissa recons she fancies you and no one wants to marry a Flint they have troll blood you know," Andromeda says.

"That is a rumor made up by the Blacks when Xander Flint refused to marry Elladora Black."

Andromedas grins her wild joyous grin, "Still Cissie reckons she fancies you."

"She's fourteen." Lucius objects.

"Just you wait in a few years she'll be twenty and you'll be twenty-four, then in a blink of an eye you'll be sixty and she'll be fifty-six. That's less of an age gape just four years when you stop and think about it."

Lucius couldn't take it any more, "Look Andy. You love someone else. I get it I really do I don't have a problem with it, it just you've been the girl there every time I imagine my life after Hogwarts. You're all I think about day and night because I want to fall in love with you not because it's whats expected of me, but because you're sweet and kind and you have this wild streak that I know will forever keep me on my toes. I care about you Andy, enough to let you go and live the life you want and be there for Sirius when the reality of what has happened this year crashes down upon his head and it's not about jokes and he has to face the cold harsh reality of the world out there. Andy do you know what going on out there? A WAR! A bloody war over blood status!" Lucius stops and takes a breath counting back down from ten, unsure at what point he stood up. Lucius stuck to what he was taugh but some times he questioned it.

"I'm not you Andy. Malfoy's are anything but rebellious." Lucius rubbed his face scared and without confidence, "I can't do what you want me to run of an have that magical life where nothing matters except the deed's that you do. I'm doing this for you Andy don't make it harder that it has to be."

Andromeda stood up and hugged the blond prefect, whispering "Thank you," in to his ear before she left.

Lucius couldn't help but think the feeling in his chest meant his heart was breaking, but he couldn't remember falling in love.

**~~In a blink of an eye you'll be sixty and she'll be fifty-six.~~**

The war that scared Lucius so much at seventeen was over. It's been over for six years. Somehow he had survived. And so had Andromeda, sweet sweet Andy. Lucius was sixty years old, funny he felt much older, and Andromeda was also sixty years old, ancient for a Black, because here she was on her death bed she had been sick for ages, but this was the first time Lucius had visited her alone. Narcissa, his kind and loving Narcissa was home resting at the insistence of Draco an Harry. Andromeda's grandsons godfather. The Malfoy's owed Harry everything when he had their name cleared.

"Hey, Luce," Andromeda croaked. She was a damaged kind of beautiful. Her hair still thick and black her eyes lids heavy and her cheek bones high. Her beautiful grey-blue eyes held the truth she was heart broken and sad. Still everything about her screamed "I'm a Black." Horrifyingly Lucius was remained unwillingly of her elder sister Bellatrix. Lucius never expected the Noble and Most Ancient house of Black to die out in his life time.

"Hey Andy." Lucius said softly as he sat down next to her bedside.

"I was wondering when I'd see you," Andy closes her eyes catching her breathe.

"You shouldn't have had to."

"We both made the decision a long time ago," Andromeda's eyes open her breathing more regular, "It'll be soon."

"Please don't leave me," Lucius feels like he's a little kid, "I just got you back, I'll miss you too much," Lucius holds her hand.

Andromeda's eyes glow bright, "But Lucius don't you see. I'm getting them all back again, Sirius, and Reggie, and Severus. She told me about him, Nymphadora did. Said he was terrified her. Then she said he was a double agent. Harry says he was the bravest man he ever knew. I'll tell him that." Andromeda smiles.

"I get to see Mama again. She never liked arraigning marriages said it took the fun out of life," Andy smiles.

"I never made Draco pick out a pureblood wife, he's seeing Astoria out of his own free will."

"Draco, a name among the stars. I bet you named him." Andy teases him.

"Do you regret it you life with Ted?"

Andromeda was back, "I like the way we lived. I never did many things I regret."

"You take good care of my little sister, she reckons she fancies you." Andromeda replaced Andy for a minute.

"I will, Andy." Lucius promised for the first time.

"You know her middle name was Lucy because sometimes I reckoned I fancied you," Andy admits and she closes her eyes for the final time

Lucius had known his own heart had been broken but he had never knew Andromda's heart was broken as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the feels


	3. Narcissa And Regulus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Narcissa has always possessed a mothers love.

**The Black Sister's Tales**

* * *

**Narcissa And Regulus**

* * *

Narcissa married Lucius. She thought she fancied him at first but she really ended up loving him. He loved her but not with all his heart that still belonged to someone else but Lucius would never cheat on his wife his own father, Abraxs had done that to his mother while Lucius was growing up. She thought it was cute her husband wanted to follow her family's traditions name his son after the stars. Their son Draco Lucius, had stolen all of Narcissa's heart. Narcissa loved Draco, like she had loved her cousin Regulus. She was constantly comparing the two in her mind. She though Reggie would have grown up easier without pureblood standers on his shoulders. She couldn't remove those pressures for her darling baby boy. She thought maybe he would need a little sister. Regulus had told her he would trade Sirius for a little sister once. After the Dark Lord fell, her husband stumbled not too far but far enough that Narcissa couldn't imagine bringing another life in to the harsh cruel world she had to face every day.

She would have named Regulus Godfather of Draco but he died before she delivered and a Dead godfather wasn't much good. Lucius named Severus, Draco's godfather. Narcissa didn't pretend she didn't see the longing in Regulus eyes when her little bump began to show. She didn't think he was in love with her. Someone else perhaps a muggle born she didn't know. She never asked because if she knew for sure she would have had to report it. She let Regulus keep his secret.

Lucius had died, shortly after her older sister, it was an accident she had been told. Lucius was helping the new Auror's train, he shouldn't have been and he knew it. Too many stunners hit him at once, at sixty-four years old it was too much coupled with the abuse Tom Riddle had given him Lucius went out softly. The last thing he had told her was he loved her as he walked out the door ready for a day of work.

* * *

 

Narcissa was old for a Black that is. Fifty-seven was longer than her life expectancy said. The truth was she didn't mind dying Draco- or was it Regulus? Her son was married and he had a two sons and a daughter with the Kind Greengrass girl. The musical one.

Her eyes were going she thought when her son walked in the room. He smiled like Regulus did. His eyes, they glittered like Regulus did when he cried over Sirius leaving him. Regulus loved Sirius even if he was a pain in the neck older brother Sirius tried to make Regulus proud to call him his older brother. His was of walking was like Regulus graceful little beat that only Regulus could hear the melody to. Draco seemed to be Regulus in everything. Or was he Regulus? Her mind was muddled again.

"Mama are you alright?"

Narcissa smiled, "Of course not, I'm dying darling."

Her son pulled back from here terror in his eyes, "You can't."

"Baby boy of course I can, it part of being human," Narcissa tell him.

"But Cissie, I have so much I want to tell you still." Her child or is it cousin? begs. Narcissa wishes someone would answer her pleads.

"Reggie this is your chance to live," Narcissa scolds him, "I've lived happily with Lucius you need to go live out your life remember all your dreams you told me? Playing on Puddlemear United? Pranking James and Sirius? Painting you house Hufflepuff yellow and Gryffendor Red simply because they didn't match? Flying to the moon like the muggle did? Visiting America? Making up with Sirius? Telling him you couldn't care less about his boyfriend?" Narcissa smiled and cried at the same time. Regulus had a quite kind of courage and bravery.

"Yes I do, but Sirius is dead," Draco squeezed her hand.

"You could never see what was right in front of you," Narcissa smiled

"Anna," Draco mouthed for the first time since he died.

"Remember that rash little boy from Diagon Alley," Narcissa was sure she was right she knew her cousins body language than her cousin himself. The boy was clearly a Black.

"I love you Mummy."

"You always said I'd be a good mother, was I?" Narcissa looks at her cousin- yes she confident it's her cousin this time just with Malfoy features, but they eyes are all that really matters.

"The very best," Regulus tell his mother. Narcissa was a better mother than Walburga every was Narcissa smiles on last time at him and he appreciates her all that much more.


	4. Bellatrix and Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellatrix once knew love, and it poisoned her.

 

**The Black Sister's Tales**

* * *

**Bellatrix and Love**

* * *

Bellatrix never lived without love. She was the first child born into her family. Sure she was a girl but she was a  _pureblood_  and that's what counted. Her aunt Walburga doted on her. Uncle Orion would present her with a piece of candy shaped like a cauldron. Her mother lovingly brushed out her hair along with her sister's hair at night it was just something they did. They talked to each other about everything. When he cousin was born she was the fifth person to hold him. She though he looked a lot like her, black glossy hair and silver eyes. His perfect little fingers curled around her index finger and he smiled in his sleep his little pink lips curved so beautiful. She loved him, but she decided then and there she could never be a mother, any child of hers would be…ruined no matter their blood status. She'd be a horrid mother, unlike that golden girl everyone always compared her to  _Molly Prewett._

She had a soft spot for Sirius, sure he was the heir but that didn't matter they were both a lot alike. They were stubborn and they though Brussels sprouts were the grosses food ever. Sitting still was not something they could do. They both needed lots of space and air. Small confined places made his or her skin itch. Sure Sirius was nine years younger than her but they still got in trouble together. Christmas vacation of Bellatrix's first year she and Sirius were in a small closet to prove she could stay in a small confined space for teen minutes without losing her sanity she burst out of the broom cupboard two minute after entering it with two year old Sirius clinging to her neck. Aunt Walburga scolded them for even trying to prove that she handed Bellatrix a cup of hot chocolate and wink while she told her Blacks have a history of insanity. Bella laughed she knew her aunt was being funny something she hardly ever did. Sirius wouldn't leave her side till a few hours later.

When she was sixteen she felt her first heartbreak, because she had returned her aunts favor and doted on Sirius to the point where she couldn't help but love the little boy who clearly didn't know what he was talking about.

"If being a Hufflepuff means I can be friends with whomever I want than I'd rather be a Hufflepuff than a Slytherin!" Sirius answered when asked what house he wanted to be in, because Bellatrix's friend's sister was sorted in to Ravenclaw when everyone expected a Slytherin out of her. Clearly the Greengrass family tree need to be more thoroughly looked at before Bellatrix could continue on being friends with the older boy.

Bellatrix's heart broke. Where did Sirius ever learn views like that? Bellatrix froze and Sirius ran off. Narcissa ran off to find Sirius' mother Andromeda went to go see if she could find Sirius on her own. Bellatrix heart shattered silently and after dripped down her cheek. Regulus found her and the little four year old kissed her cheek where her tear still lay.

"What's wrong 'Ella?" Regulus was the only one to make her name seem pretty and elegant like her script not big and bold and somehow rounded like how everyone else managed to.

"You know when you grow up you fall in love and you're heart breaks but not for the reason you anticipate and you can't help but feel you could have done more? No I guess not, you are only four, but I feel like I've grown up faster than I can remember and I don't want my heart to be broken."

Regulus tipped his head to the side, "What if you glued it back together? And keep it in a cage? Cause sometimes I wish I could talk to the curly haired girl who's so smart, she seems like she'd make a nice friend."

Bellatrix laughed, Regulus always had a big imagination talking about people who probably only lived in his mind. Bellatrix wasn't even sure if he had ever left Grimmuald place. "If I keep it in a cage I wouldn't be very nice at all."

Regulus snuggled up to her neck like Sirius normally did, "Your 'Ella and that's what matters."

Bellatrix took Regulus advised and glued her heart back together and keep it in a cage, she didn't guard it very well because she fell in love with a man named Tom Riddle who had no heart, it was easier to keep it from breaking when she knew he could never love. But she still loved and she cried only for Regulus she had found out he died when he was just barely nineteen, she was forty-five when she realized her little cousins could no longer break her heart because it was a cold as ice in her iron cage around it, she only realized this after setting fire to all the pictures she could find of Regulus and Sirius in Narcissia's house. Bellatrix wished she never knew love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to say all the thing I hope other people say about my work, well these first three chapters.   
> I had Andromeda display romantic love and she died.  
> I had Narcissa display selfless motherly love and she died.  
> I had Bellatrix display self love, and I didn't kill her. Its sort of a strange way to say you should love yourself first before others. Bellatrix both fell in love and loved her family, but that never served her to be happy. 
> 
> So love romantically, love your familiarly, but love yourself. I learned this lesson the hard way.


	5. The Explanation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Petunia wants to know why she's different, she didn't expect this.

**Marauders At Hogwarts**

* * *

**The Explanation**

* * *

Petunia just wanted an explanation. Why was Lily a witch and she not? The answer was not what she expected. To find out her mother was a… Petunia could even bring herself to think the horrid word. Still the headmaster only divulged the secret when Petunia begged for an answer as to why she could not have a place at the school. Now she wished she had never asked because her father was her father, Sure legally he was her father and he was Lily biological father, but he was not Petunia's birth father. She wasn't even sure who her father was.

She should have seen it before. She didn't even look like Lily. Well at least she had one comfort. Her children and her children's children could never be magical if she married someone without magic. She would never  have children if there was a chance a child of hers or a grandchild of hers could be like Lily.

 

So why did she feel so mournful?


	6. Potions Class

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Professor Slughorn wanted to try out a new Potion with his third year Gryffendor-Slytherin class.  
> It's fore research...mostly.

**Marauders at Hogwarts**

* * *

**Potion Class**

* * *

It was the second to last month of the 1973-1974 school year and Professor Slughorn was ready for some fun. He had found the latest potion researcher had perfected a personalized potion. It was the perfect level for his third year Gryffendor-Slytherin class and with multiple people making the potion a use for it should soon be found. One year they will realize how dangerous that pairing was to each student.

He'd have his third years fill in a work sheet and then start on the potion. This was truly exciting.

Sirius noticed Professor Slughorn was excited as soon as he walked in to the classroom on Thursday.

"To your seats everyone!" The Potions master called out, "We have doubles today!"

He probably had a shot of fire whiskey with his morning coffee, Sirius decided. A worksheet was placed at his desk, this should be an interesting class.

"Today we are brewing a new type of potion, A Personalized Potion, now get to work!" professor Slughorn told his student's and sat down to read an article on the best type of metal to use while brewing Love potions.

The Gryffendor Slytherin class was quite for about a half hour as they finished the worksheet up. The first student to get up and start brewing his potion was Severus Snape he was measuring where to put his cauldron because the work sheet had been very explicate about all the instructions for his potion. While the other student started to position his or her cauldrons and add his or her ingredients Severus ahead by quite a few steps. He vaguely wondered what the potions did.

Severus stirred his dark black mixture to a light golden color a suspicion already formed in his mind he keep an eye on the other students cauldrons.

Two hours later most students were finishing up however on boy in Gryffendor was having trouble, "James how'd you get you're potion to turn pink mines not pink yet!" Sirius hissed in James ear.

"I followed the directions they were very exact," James shrugged.

"But you're rubbish at potions!"

"It's pretty easy even Remus had his Turing pink. It's not like the-," James paused to look around, "Top secret ones, " James whispered back, "Anyway I think we need the octopus powder tonight," James says of handedly tossing a quick look at Remus whose struggling to get his potion pas the purple point, it still looks pretty blue though, not the dark blue Sirius has.

"Ten minutes left!" Slughorn calls, "Hurry Up!"

Severus who had been finished for the last fifteen minutes picks up a vial and starts ladling his potion into said vial accidentally drops a bit of his pale rose pink potion on to a spar bit of parchment Lily gave him a few months ago. An image spreads from the dusky pink spot. It's an enchanted image of when Severus had just met Lily. Severus closed his eyes understanding what the final product of the potion did. He slipped the parchment into his pocket and corked the vial.

On the other side of the room Sirius was mortified, "It's still blue! What do I do Jamie?"

"Be extremely charming when you hand the potion in, presentation is almost as important as quality to Slughorn."

James was useless.

Severus walked up to the front of the classroom with his worksheet and vial and placed it on Professor Slughorn's desk then returned to his seat to watch his classmates hand in his or her work. Noticing little things. The girls' vials were all blue with the slight exception of Marlene McKinnon whose potion only had a hint of pink left in it. The boys' potions were all pink well except for Lupin and Blacks. Lupin's was a dark purple-blue and Black's was brilliant blue almost as pale blue as Severus' potion had been pale pink. Potters potion was the only a hint darker than Severus potion had been normally Potter was a disaster with his hair sticking straight up and the tips singed off by the time he was done making a potion. Maybe he was totally rubbish at making potions. Out of the four most notable Gryffendor boys Black always came out on top with potions but he seemed to think his was a complete disaster this time. Lupin and Potter weren't all that good at potions Lupin lacked talent and Potter lacked the attention span. Pettigrew who never really counted as notable on his own had a dark red potion that made Severus flinch because of how blood like it looked.

Severus could help but be fascinated by Blacks pale blue potion, clearly he had something to figure out, but it was not Severus secret to tell. He had worked out the paler the potion the truer the emotions were. Severus looked around the class most people had middling colors Pettigrew's was the darkest Sirius was the lightest followed closely by Severus. Severus liked the knowledge that he knew something Black didn't, least not yet. Then again you love who you love right?

When all the potions were handed in there were three or four minute of class left. Professor Slughorn sorted through the vials sure there was a problem with them. Marlene's was fine but there was a purple one and an blue on that mystified him, "Mr. Black would you stay behind after class, you too Mr. Lupin."

Remus blushes Sirius' blood drains out of his face as the rest of the class filed out.

"Sir, I didn't do it on purpose I read the sheet thoroughly before I started. I followed the directions the best I could," Sirius blurted out.

Professor Slughorn sighed, he couldn't very well scold the two now could he, "I merely wanted to speak to the two of you."

"What did you want to know, Professor?" Remus asked.

"You did the best you both could on both the potions?"

Remus nods, "Yes sir." Sirius says.

"You are dismissed and Remus, Professor Flintwick found this article and he thought you might like it," The bookish boy blushed and took the paper on Charm theory of Pioneering. He watched the two leave the room and sighed. There was no way to mess up these potions. Of the more interesting thing Horace Slughorn had learned about the Potions was if tipped on to a blank parchment a face would appear. Professor Slughorn uncorked Sirius' vial an tipped out a small droplet on to a parchment. A face blossomed from the droplet. It was a boy's face he looked around thirteen and semi-familiar. He re-corked the vial and moved the parchment a side. Uncorking Remus' purple vial that looked more lavender than violet or indigo a blurry face appeared on the new piece of parch meant with hair covering the figures eyes and nose. The face smiled and flipped it's hair out of its eyes.

Those boys would have it rough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so essentially the potion love potion, without much more effect than showing a persons sexuality and kind of love. I apologize for the color coded binary genders. If they were to remake this potion now a days it's be so different. Severus isn't as smart as he thinks he is. 
> 
> Peters was dark red like blood because he loved harsh and passionately,in all contexts except in bed, also he is straight.  
> Severus and James had light pink potions because they loved purely. Severus was in love with that moment in time when he and Lily were children. James is light pink and that's a later plot point.  
> Remus potion was lavender because he's bi. So bi.  
> Sirius is blue because he is gay.
> 
> James is my baby and I will defend him until I die, so I'm going to say right now I'm not erasing his sexuality, he doesn't know about it then, no one does.


	7. To End in Fire Or Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reincarnation has its flaws

**Marauders at Hogwarts**

* * *

**To End in Fire Or Water**

* * *

There were days when Sirius wished he could see the future to know when Teddy would be back, but Sirius could not see the future.

That was Regulus.

Ever since Regulus was little he had little flashes of odd situations that didn't fit in to his life. He mostly ignored them. The first one that stuck out was when he was eleven. It was his first time to Hogwarts he was standing in the anti-chamber waiting to be sorted. A boy with messy black hair was looking around. Regulus had a weird little flash as he called it where he tried to befriend Sirius' friend James Potter. It stuck him as odd and he laughed out loud. A few looks were tossed at him.

The worse one that ever happens was when Regulus was thirteen. He woke up screaming, terrified in his dark dorm room the three other boys in his dorm room tried to calm him and when that failed the went to the Head boy, Rabstan Lestrange. Rabsten wasted no time in taking the inconsolable boy to the infirmary and alerting the head of House Horace Slughorn. Professor Slughorn thought about it briefly before waking Professor McGonagall. Professor McGonagall decided her best third year needed his older brother. Sirius was brought down from his dorm room.

Sirius found Regulus screaming and sobbing. Rabstan was standing on the sidelines, but he recognized the bond between two brothers even if Rabstan's brother Rodolphus was several years older than him stepped back not wanting either brother to be embarrassed. Rabstan did have a heart.

Sirius scooped Regulus up in his arms, as the boy was much smaller than Sirius still, and hugged him tight holding him till the sob's subsided. When Regulus finally calmed down he looked up to his brothers silver eyes.

"Sirius I'm scared of the fire, I don't want to die."

Regulus was terrified of fire so in the end he never expected a watery death.

 


	8. What He Didn't Say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somethings are needlessly complicated. Others are easy.

**Marauders at Hogwarts**

* * *

**What He Didn't Say**

* * *

Sirius had said Teddy smells like Remus but that's not what he meant to say. Sirius had meant to say Remus smells like Teddy. Remus reminds him of Teddy. Remus was a replacement for Teddy for years till he walked in the door looking like a little kid. A little thirteen year old. Then it seemed wrong so very wrong to have a crush on this boy.

Why did he have a crush on him?

Was it because Teddy was the first person to be kind to him for no real reason? Or was it because Teddy was a first friend ever? Or was it because Teddy could always cheer him up?

Sirius didn't ever figure it out, but he eventually fell in love with  _Remus_  for real when Remus had pushed him against a wall and snogged the daylights out of him in the middle of their sixth year. Sirius had thought it was all a joke till Remus whispered in his ear, "Pad's will you stop avoiding me now?"

Needless to say Sirius stopped avoiding Remus after that.

But sometimes he still though about his first crush on Teddy, trying to understand it.


	9. The Bookstore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus learns a few things after Sirius leaves.

**Marauders At Hogwarts**

* * *

**The Bookstore**

* * *

Last summer Sirius had left, and now the house was empty. Or it felt so.

Regulus snuck out, he tell Wallaburga he was with Narcissa later, if she remembers to ask. He pulls out a pack of cigarettes he had found in Sirius room. They were nasty and disgusting and they reminded Regulus of Sirius. He would take what he could get.

The park was across from a Muggle book store. It must have been a university or college, Regulus watch people walk in and our of it all day. In Sirius' old cloths it was easy to blend in. 

"You know you shouldn't smoke those things," a blond girl tells him. Regulus almost drops the cigarette in surprise. Clearly the girl is a muggle and she older than him. Her hair is a dark blond and her eyes a crystle blue. She was covered in freckles and had on cream colored blouse and jean that flair out at the bottom, bell bottoms he thinks. She is gorgeous.Regulus felt inadequate in his ratty jeans and dark tee shirt.

"It's none of you business what I do," Regulus grunts and pushes his hair to the side.

"Yes it is, because the smoke is bothering my friend over there," She tells him she points at a frail dark skinned girl with very curly hair.

"Can't you just leave me alone I am no hurting anyone," he tries.

"Yes you are, Kelsey can't breath right when other people smoke," the girl tells him.

"Fine," this girl reminds him of a very young Bellatrix.

"Thank you I'm Anna," She says and waits for him to reply.

"Me?" Regulus says.

"Do you see anyone else?" Anna smiles.

"Regulus," He tenses up for the sneer.

"Isn't that a star in the Leo constellation?"

"The brightest," Regulus smiles at her.

"So would you be any help in studying for Astrology, being one of the brightest stars?" She says.

"Maybe." He grins at he the way he's seen his housemates grin at girls.

They never went into the Bookstore and nether did they study, to Regulus surprise, but it was nice Anna wanted to make a habit of it. Regulus though he wouldn't mind that. Anna was sweet and warm and genuine to him. He liked that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please please ask me all the questions about these two. I love them to bits and they come back! Poor little sixteen year old Regulus thought Anna wanted to study. She thought he'd be a great kissing partner, she was right.


	10. Those Kinds of Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Early term is warm and wonderful out. The boys make the most of it out by the lake. And there are girls. Kissing.

**Marauders at Hogwarts**

* * *

**Those Kinds of Girls**

* * *

It was a bright sunny September day barely a week after the new term at Hogwarts started. The classes had ended and the students were free of classrooms. The infamous Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and James Potter were sitting under their tree. One of them was doing his homework. Peter Pettigrew was headed outside and tripped down the steps. He was selectively blind, well that's how Sirius saw it. 

"Ekkkk!" An upper class Slytherin girl squeaked, "Disgusting Muggle born! Tripping all over themselves just to touch the hem of my skirt!" This girl had her skirt on properly so it hung just below her knee's. She obviously cared about blood status a lot.

"Shut up!" Peter's voice rose an octave higher than normal, "Shut up Blood status doesn't matter that's-that's not something people chose you are born with or not!" Peter's voice grew stronger. "It's like saying a murder's child will be just like them!"

The girl rolled her eyes and muttered something about Gryffindor's and Potters being a bad influence and stalked away with her nose in the air.

"Did you see that James? Did you see that Sirius? Did you see that Remus?" Peter ran over towards his friend two of which were doing homework. Sirius had his head in Remus lap looking up at the clouds, "Nope I was day dreaming about a nice juicy steak or maybe some deer."

A balled up piece of paper hit Sirius' head, "Oi James!"

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself far too much," James answered broodily with a hint of a smile on his cheeks. Sirius picked up his sketch book and began to doodle.

"Yes we saw you loquaciously protect a mass murders sprog," Remus answered dryly.

Peter sat down by James in the sun playing with a bit of grass looking around noticing there  _were_  no clouds. Sirius must be of in one of his mental little moods today, "That's disgusting," he announced looking at two girls who were kissing on a picnic blanket, buy the edge of the forest. They were making out enough that neither of their aces could be scene, but not very heavly. On was blond, the other a redhead, or maybe a brunette. Their hands were touching though; in a more than friend kind of hand holding way that wouldn't give reasonable children nightmares about where babies came from, just nightmares about people kissing because kissing is icky.

James looks up from his transfigurations note book, "I dunno it's kind of ...nice. Two girls together," James received a blow to his head from Remus.

"But isn't that wrong?" Peter asked. His eyes sharp and alert.

Remus looked up from his book, which  _was not_  school related and he probably shouldn't have been reading it by the way, to see the girls, "The only thing wrong with it is James' opinion of it. Two consenting people together is hot."

James nearly dropped his notebook into the lake. That wasn't what he meant.

"I'm not a prude, I just don't talk about sex as much as you lot," James tried to adjust to this new knowledge of Remus. Remus the golden boy who showed no interest in anyone James knew. Sirius tipped his head to the side his eyes training on his charcoal not looking at anyone.

"What about two blokes together?" he asked softly, he only asked things softly to the Marauders when he was drawing or half asleep under the star in the summer.

Remus smiled, "That falls under two consenting people."

"Why not just men and women?" Peter asked.

James hit Peter upside the head, "Stop being a prat, it's not good for your skin."

"So how is yours so clear?" Remus smirked, Sirius chucked softly. James gave Remus his glare of death learned from the one and only Lily Evens.

"Some people aren't either," Remus says.

"How is that possible?" James asked staring at the girls. He was wondering how anyone found that pleasurable. 

"Just is and stop staring. It's not like they're making you watch them. They are in a semi privet place the edge of the Forest isn't technically of limits."

Sirius looked down at his portrait of a wolf in the moonlight twisting his charcoal in his fingers, idly wondering if he should come out to anyone else, besides James and Teddy.. He didn't chose to be this way he was born this way he just never noticed.

Remus leaned over and plucked the charcoal out of his fingers, "Don't do that Pad's you'll get charcoal on your forehead and shirt again," Remus said softly tucking the charcoal into Sirius' bag of art supplies. Sirius hoped Remus would never look at any of his drawings. that would be a headache and a half.

James was still studying the kissing girls vaguely interested for a minute be for his eye grew very large and he leaned over to Sirius, "Is that Marlene?"

"I believe so," Remus answered with a smug look on his face.

James and Sirius exchanged a look.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally more...well middle school writing. Peter was more of a dick. He still kind of is but it's cooled down. James doesn't really know what he means by nice. I know he means ascetically pleasing. He's my favorite but he was born in the wrong time period. Remus is my little feminist, he also has a dirty mind.
> 
> Marlene and Lily had a fling. It was a good fling.


	11. Head Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prefect was okay, but Head Boy comes with responsibilities Remus would rather not have.

**Marauders at Hogwarts**

* * *

**Head Boy**

* * *

Remus was desperate, again. He heard he was going to be made Head Boy and that could  _not_ happen. Prefect was bad enough. Why did people always assume he was the mature one? He was by far the most childish. This year alone James, Sirius, or Peter had tucked him into bed six times because he refused to listen when they said he should go to bed. And they all did stuff to make sure Remus could get thought the day, little things he hardly noticed. He'd fall asleep with his right shoe boy the door and his left in the bathroom and when he woke up they were placed together by his trunk. His inkpots would magically refill and he would only notice after he had used them that they were full again. And his ties,  _someone_ had charmed to be self-tying.

When asked his fellow marauders would never fess up.

This was different he couldn't become head boy, because in ten years at their reunion everyone would want to meet his wife and kids because he was  _Head Boy_ , but he didn't want everyone to seek him out at their reunion to see how successful he was, he let everyone fool themselves into thinking he's have a brilliant job after school when his only hopes were a muggle job or writing with a pseudonym anonymously.

In fourth year he had caught wind he was going to be made a prefect and he went through countless pranks and antic to shake the responsibility. It didn't work. He tried kissing girl in plain sight of McGonagall, not cutting his hair, -which he was still doing- using that muggle trick to dumping cold water on her, even talking to her, politely and rudely which only resulted in detentions for him. There was probaly other stuff he did he just couldn't remember. There was one last time he could try last time he wasn't brave enough to even try it then but now it seemed like a very good idea.

He just had to find Sirius with Professor McGonagall relatively close by otherwise it'd be a bit pointless, but probably not completely.

Remus cheeked the map, there was McGonagall in her classroom grading papers and Sirius was right outside it with his sketch book and an artist tool Remus couldn't even wrap his head around how he knew what was what in that bag. Actually he was walking past it probably to the Quidditch felid's or the roof he claimed he liked heights because they gave him a clear head. The heights probably cleared his head for him.

Remus grined like a wolf when he saw Sirius. Sometimes he could channel the calmer part of the wolf. Silently he attacked. Sirius large grey eyes strated at him startled and scared, "Remus what are you-" Remus pressed their lips together, and some how it turned into Remus nipping on Sirius' bottom lip. This boy was going to kill him with the sounds he made.When they broke apart they both panted for a minute.  "Paddie, will you stop avoiding me now?" He growled with his forehead pressed against Sirius'.

"MR. LUPIN!" Professor McGonagall's door opened with a burst and he voice followed instantaneously.

Remus turned around his lips clearly swollen from snogging Sirius and his cheeks stained red, "Yes, ma'am?"

McGonagall glared at the two boys, "We'll talk later."

"Good because I'm kind of busy right now," Remus threw her his best cheeky grin that he had learned form James…and Lily.

"Detention tonight or cut your hair" McGonagall fired before going back into her room.

"I'm rather attached to it! See you at seven, Minnie!"

Sirius stared at him with hatred.

"I kind of like you Pad's as a bit more than a friend," Remus said sheepishly.

"You couldn't have said that at the beginning of the year?"

Remus blushed and shrugged. He was sixteen he hardly knew himself.

"So are you queer as well?"

"I don't like labels," Remus answered.

"I don't like girls."

"Really I couldn't tell," Remus smirked Sirius reddened.

"You speak sarcasm far too well," Sirius said before pulling Remus into a broom closet.

So Remus lied to Teddy about everyone who knew about him and Sirius, but in his defense he only kissed Sirius in front of her nothing to prove they were in a relationship, because they weren't. Not until Remus kissed Sirius.


	12. Modeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily is going to win a bet, and get Jame a birthday present.

**Marauders at Hogwarts**

* * *

**Modeling**

* * *

Lily had a plan. A very evil plan, but a plan no less.

"Sirius would you draw me?" Lily asks the eighteen year old boy after Charms class.

"Yeah sure, in the common room later?" Sirius suggested.

"I was thinking somewhere more…privet," Lily said slyly.

Sirius tosses Lily a quizzical gaze, " _Oh-_ kay?"

Lily grinned this would be too easy.

**~A few hours later~**

"How did you find this room," Sirius asked amazed Lily had found a room the Marauders didn't know about.

Lily shrugged, "It's here when I need it," Her shirt flew over the barrier. And her bra it was pink and lacey, "Turn around while I get settled!" Lily called out sharply.

Sirius spun on his toes to look at the door, blushing as he realized exactly what he had signed up for when agreeing to draw Lily, "You can turn around now, Sirius."

Sirius was shocked when her say Lily laying on the bed her hair sweep over on side of her shoulder a green sheet strategically around her waist to keep her modest and accent her long legs. He head rested in her arms while her breasts were pressed against the bed, but Sirius could still see their gentle swelling.  _How did James find this attractive?_  Sirius wondered and swelled Lily's head might have been swollen from James about how attractive she was, Sirius didn't know if she thought she was gorgeous enough to extract a physical reaction form boys half dressed as she was.

"You have done nudes before?" her voice was sharp.

"Yes," Would it be necessary to say he never had a model before? No probably not, "James is going to kill me for this."

"You haven't seen anything," Lily snapped, spit fire was not Sirius' type, but James loved it, "besides it'll be me giving it to him for a birthday present," Lily said in a conversational tone.

Sirius stopped thinking and drew very aware of her eyes on him, she probably did expect some kind of reaction, because James had told Sirius the other day about a bird inquiring about if Sirius would be available to go on a date. James said the girl made it out like Sirius was a heart throb with a sketchbook. He didn't think he was he was just a boy who drew with somewhat long hair. Remus said Sirius had glorious silver eyes and occasionally called him pretty boy when fed up with him, but Sirius wouldn't consider himself hot or fit or any such thing.

"Sirius," Lily said half way through Sirius shading the sheet, "Are you queer?"

Sirius colored pencil stopped, "What? Where would you get an idea like that?"

"Normally you make rude comments on girl's bodies but you've been silent the entire time," Lily said.

"I'd rather keep my bits instead of having you hex them off," Sirius said stoically. Oh well Lily finally regretted being so harsh on the marauders Sirius was afraid of her reaction if he said anything.

"I kissed Marlene once," Lily said, it was not a lie she was curious what it would be like to kiss a girl and Marlene was also curious. They kissed and Lily liked it so did Marlene. They continued their relationship form the summer before Sixth year until December when they realized they just liked kissing nothing more neither of them wanted that they wanted more from a relationship. So they broke up, Marlene and Lily still had a good relationship, with no secrets, it was unusual for Lily at least to have a friend who knew  _everything_ about her and she liked it.

"Did you kiss out on the grounds in Sixth year September?" Sirius asked.

"Yes have you ever kissed a girl?" Lily said.

"No."

"Have you ever kissed anyone?"

"Yes…" So Lily was possibly right.

"Anyone I know?"

"Yes, Oh would you look at the time I'm going to be late," Sirius left the drawing on the table and dashed out of the room. He was done. Lily sighed, nothing conclusive just that he kissed a someone not female, not that he enjoyed it or who it was. She was going to prove to Marlene that Sirius was in a relationship with Remus or loses ten galleons she desperately needed.

**~A few days before March 27, 1978~**

"James would you let me in!" Lily hit her boyfriend's chest in frustration.

"No?" James face was pale, "You cannot got in there!" he said more firmly.

Lily put a gentle hand on James cheek to draw him in to a kiss, "May I go in and get Remus' notes for Marlene? She can't read my hand writing." Lily kissed him again. James eyes closed and he breathed evenly then his eyes snapped open and focused even though it was a little hard right then.

"No." He said weakly.

Lily took a steep back and crossed her arms over her chest, "Why not?"

James bit his lip preparing a rubbish story about why Lily could not enter his dorm, "One time a boy named Teddy walked in to my compartment on the train then in fifth year when I walked in on him and Sirius talking in our dorms."

Lily sighed and kissed her probably mental but soon-to-be husband turning them around so her back was to his dorm room door. She turned the handled and let herself in while still pressed closely to James, boys were so easy . Well maybe just James.

Two boys were shirtless on Remus bed with mussed up hair and swollen lips snogging one another. One was Sirius Black the other was Remus Lupin. Lily's lips curved up into a smile. She had just won ten galleons from Marlene. James stood there for a second gathering his wits.

"Please don't tell anyone!" James begged.

"Are you kidding! I just won a bet from Marlene! Besides this is totally hot," Lily exclaimed.

Sirius threw a pillow at James head, "Oi, we we're just getting to the good stuff!" Remus ignored him and pinned Sirius down murmuring in his ear.

"Marlene and you made a bet?" James asks bewildered by his girlfriend's behavior, "Ten galleons," Lily took a snap shot of Remus and Sirius with the camera she was caring.

"You can't show that to anyone no one can find out!" James panics.

"Just Marlene, in fact I'll bring her in here and show it to her and then burn it."

"It's going in my photo album!" Remus calls out.

Lily tossed James a questioning glance. James shrugged. She pecks him on the cheek and dashes to get Marlene.

James tosses the pillow at Remus and Sirius, "Stop with the PDA. A photo album, really Remus?"

If Remus grinned at James wolfishly, nothing could be proved, because he want back to kissing Sirius' neck.


	13. The Cottage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With, his years at Hogwarts coming to a close, Remus looks toward a terrifying future.

 

**Standing On Their Own Two Feet**

* * *

**The Cottage**

* * *

"Sirius where are we going to live after tomorrow?" Remus asked. The two boys were on the roof of the Gryffendor Tower. Remus' head on Sirius right wear his shoulder connected to his neck. Sirius hand an arm wrapped around his boyfriends waist.

"Don't worry about it Rem," Sirius said somehow making Remus name rhyme with gem.

"Sirius, I don't think you understand I'm homeless. My Mum died…" Remus buries his face in Sirius' chest. Sirius pats his back holding him tight counting the stars to find the consolations he and Regulus made up when they were little.

"I know Rem," Is all Sirius says as Remus sobs.

The next day after the train ride to Kings Cross Remus isn't too sure what happens after they get off the train. James and Lily wave at them with smiles on their face James had invited Lily to meet his parents. Peter's mother picked him up from the train station with a hug and they were off.

"Sirius," Remus looked at the boy, "what are we going to do?"

"Frankie said he'd be right outside in Muggle London," Sirius grabbed Remus wrist taking care to make sure it looked brotherly as he led Remus outside to find Frank Longbottom leaning against a brick wall in a brown leather jacket.

"Hey, Sirius," Frank tossed the motorcycle keys at him, "Remus." Frank acknowledged with a nod, "I gotta get back Moody will have my head if he knew I wasn't really gathering evidence for one of the cases."

Sirius cheeks were slightly pink, "Thanks mate."

"Any time," Frank walked away towards the nearest Alley to disapperate.

"Come on Moony! It's perfectly safe," Sirius said. Once the two boys were on the motorcycle Remus leaned forwards to wrap his arms tighter around Sirius waist- for safety reasons of course.

"Someone has a crush," Hew whispered into Sirius' ear.

"He's Frank Longbottem, mentor to the Marauders and who doesn't like his cheek bones," Sirius neck flushed.

Remus kissed his neck with teasing forgiveness, "Where are we going?"

"It's quite a ways we'll be there by ten," Sirius responded.

Remus sighed and pressed his head to Sirius shoulder watching the landscape fly by.

"Close your eyes Moony," Sirius said a couple hours later.

"Why?"

"I want you to be surprised and I want to see your face when you see it," Remus closed his eyes and got of the motorbike. He heard Sirius wheel it away and few doors close. Sirius hands were over his eyes now.

"Ready?"

"Yeah, why not," Remus sighed, because all he wanted was Sirius and a bed and a bit of chocolate and maybe some chicken because they had stopped for dinner  _hours_  ago.

"Open your eyes," Sirius said removing his slightly callused and warm hands, "Do you like it?"

A little house covered in ivy with a red door and a white picket fence with a little yard stood glowing in the half moon's light. Remus smiled. This was completely different from Sirius childhood home, but for Remus it was his first actually home he moved around a lot when he was younger. His father died when he was six, a year after Remus was bitten and Romulus, his twin, died in the attack. His mother had a hard time keeping her and Remus in the same house for more than six months.

"It's beautiful."

"It's ours and it has a few extra bedrooms. For James' kids when they spend the night." Sirius grinned,

"When did you get it?"

"Remember back during Easter break when James and I went M.I.A. for a few days? We were cottage hunting," Sirius revels bashfully.

"More like kennel hunting," Remus' mouth quirked up into a smile and a chuckle escaped him. This was the first time in days Remus actually smiled.

"It's ours forever, I already bought it and there aren't any neighbors around for miles. I opened an account for to pay for taxes because I hate actually doing that myself although James says I should learn ho-"Remus shut his rambling boyfriend up with a kiss that suggested much more they could do in  _their_  cottage. Talking about money could wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How sweet, now leave me a comment
> 
> please


	14. Regulus' Anna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius finds out something interesting.

**Standing On Their Own Two Feet**

* * *

**Regulus' Anna**

* * *

**~December 17, 1979~**

Sirius was under cover in the muggle world as a male man. It struck him as odd that he had to were a uniform to be male and weren't all muggle men male? All wizards were male. Apparently male men delivered letters. Anyways he was on a solo mission. At twenty Sirius was part of the Order of the Phoenix and he was putting up protective wards around muggle's houses. He and Remus lived in a cottage, it was cozy but he also liked the open air. Remus liked cozy winter mornings.

"Excuse me, do ye have anything for Anna Smith?" A pregnant blond woman asked him. She was huge like she as hiding a water melon under there. She had a pronounced accent he couldn't place. She was also young. Twenty-ish.

Sirius rifled though the letters, "Er…not afraid not."

"Well that's a relief no bills unpaid. How about Regulus Black?" Sirius looked at her in confusion. What did his little brother have to do with anything?

"Pardon?" Sirius asked.

"My boyfriend he has a funny name, Regulus Black. 'E says his family is one of those ye know, old rich families, I've never heard of 'em, The Blacks. His name makes me smile because it's part of the Leo constellation and he says lions brave and courageous, but he is not one. I tell him  he's  fool, anyone can tell he's brave. He got involved with a gang and now he wants out. Wants to marry me, he just says they won't let 'im," Anna's eyes look at the floor in sadness. her voice gone thick.

That almost sounded like Regulus. "Let me look again," Sirius flip's thought the letters again, "I'm sorry no letter from him," Sirius looked at her again. "Do you need any help taking those up stair's."

"Would you?" She smiles brightly.

Sirius takes a few of her bags from her and follows her up to a little flat.

"It's mostly baby supplies, I want to surprise Reggie, I'm sure a handsome boy like you 'as done something to surprise a girl a few times before."

"A boy, I'm queer," Sirius says bluntly not too sure why he tells a total stranger this after keeping it a secret since he was fifteen.  then again she did just tell him her boyfriend life story. Anna looks at him with a raised eye brow. The laughs, "You could teach me little brother a thing or two then. Not all of them are as honest as you are, it's good for you, do you have a partner?" Anna sets a few bags on the table.

"Yeah, Rem's the best," Sirius places a few baby things in the table.

"What about you're other friends how'd they take it?"

"Well Jamie didn't like walking in on us, then he could decide which one of us he'd protect if we broke each other's hearts. Potters eh, guess it comes from being an only child. These look nice where'd you get them?"

"At the cute little boutique down the street," Anna smiles she must be pretty lonely to be talking to someone like him.

"I should remember to tell Lily that, she just found out she's knocked up."

"Isn't that an American expression?" Anna asks him.

Sirius shrugs, "I dunno, Jamie says it often enough it could be French."

Anna laughs, "You have some pretty cool friends for such a young man. The ones that support you should stop by the office building done town from that run down pub the leaky something or other. I work in social services. Equality for all," Anna smiles.

"I'll drag James and Remus down there one night and Lily too if I can get her to loosen up. She thinks we're all fools. She's probably right we are a thick as thieves since we were eleven. Probably acted like a couple of prats on too many occasions to count. Rem would get us riled up 'bout once a month and cause as much trouble as possible. He looked like a complete book worm back then, still does mind you but he doesn't look as innocent as he did. Teacher had a bad habit of trusting him too much and gave him a position of authority. It worked out well until he got caught in the halls kissing me although thinking back on it he probably set it all up he's a smart bloke," Sirius grinned.

"They sound lovely, you must have had a fun time at school," Anna beams.

"Yeah I suppose it must have been pretty good." Sirius says thinking about his school years, the good, the bad and everything inbetween.

"Thank you for helping out," Anna yawned, "I'm sure Reggie will be presently supervised when 'e gets back. Do your mind showing yourself out? I'm tired better kip for a while on the couch Reggie says I move a lot at night."

"You're welcome."

**~Later~**

Remus lay his head on Sirius' shoulder drawing patters only he could see on Sirius' bear chest Sirius played with a strand of Remus' hair that was splayed across the bed. Sometimes he wondered why Remus keep his hair so long.

"Regulus has a muggle girlfriend," Sirius says out of the blue.

"That's nice," Remus wasn't paying attention.

"She's got a kid on the way, a halfblood grandkid was something my mum might have expected out of me not Reggie."

"We already have a kid Sirius, Teddy remember?"

"Moons, I don't quite know where your head is but I'm telling you Regulus is a blood traitor," Remus finger stopped drawing patterns, "What? Since when?" Sirius wants to laugh. Remus looked startled with bright eyes a pink lips. 

"At least nine months ago his girl looked ready to pop," Sirius said.

"Maybe you should go make peace with him," Remus looks up at Sirius.

"I will go on the first of the New Year, It'll be my New Year's resolution."

"It's the seventeenth now," A tone of disapointment rang out in his voice

**~December 25, 1979~**

Anna hadn't seen her boyfriend in nine days. Today she received a letter via Owl that was dressed from Regulus.

Dearest Anna,

If you are reading this it probably means I was killed. I'm sorry I regret I never had the chance to see our child. He or she would have been beautiful. I ask that you give our child my last name in some form. Weather you combine our names or use it as a middle name that is my only request. I should have been there to tell you this in person. I should have been there for our child's firsts', but alas I cannot your bank account should have a far sum on money in it from me my last gift to you. It was family money don't feel guilty about spending it. I did love you very much and I hope someday we'll meet again, having never been religious that is the most I can do, a prayer would be too much of me to ask of your Lord because of the sins I have committed.

Love forever and always,

_Regulus Arcturus Black_

Reggie

 

Two days shy of the New Year, Anna is attacked on the street by men in dark cloaks and masks and slender wooden sticks, Lucky her baby girl Grace Annabelle Black was at her grandmother's house.

Sirius never got to make up with his younger brother or even meet his niece or nephew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Anna and an accent to start off with. It might have been Irish, it might have been Scottish it could have been Chinese. I got ride of that because I posted The Bookstore first and didn't bother to look at what Anna's characterization was like. With out the accent she fits her part in better with Doomed.
> 
> leave me a comment or something!


	15. The Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They may be adults, but they don't always act like it.

**Standing On Their Own Two Feet**

* * *

**The Cat**

* * *

"James!" Sirius calls out from his best friend's living room. A terrifying beast faced him.

"The remotes on the coffee table Sirius," the two had a day off from training and decided to watch the Muppet movie. Lily suggested it as she carried out to some store neither one of the black haired boy could be bothered to remember.

"There's a monster on your couch!" Sirius wails. The brute flicked its tail back and forth staring at Sirius with evil blue eyes.

"No calling Remus names Sirius!" James scolded.

"He's in the loo! Get out here and take care of this fiend!" Sirius squealed. James final poked his nose out and looked at Sirius.

"Where's this 'fiend'?" James asked looking around.

"There!" Sirius pointed to the couch.

James looked at the couch, "Oh that's just Kenna, Lily picked her out!" James grins.

"No that's a  _cat!"_  Sirius yipped as Kenna walked towards him.

"And?" James shoves his glasses up his nose.

"JAMES! I'M A DOG!"

James tilts his head to he side, "Ops?"

 


	16. Dancing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius is a sap. A happy Remus can make him do almost anything.

**Standing On Their Own Two Feet**

* * *

**Dancing**

* * *

Sirius and Remus were having one of those rare quite night when neither of them had work and they weren't exhausted or saddened or their hormones were ruling their minds. No tonight was a quite night Remus' wireless was turned on to some channel Sirius couldn't recall Remus sat re-reading some series of books he had read back in fourth year. Sirius sat reading the newspaper and drinking black coffee.

Out of the blue Remus grabbed Sirius by the hips and dragged him into standing position and twirled Sirius around with a manic look in his face grinning out of joy. Sirius hear the radio it was playing one of Remus favorite songs at a volume Sirius strained to hear.

Sirius smiled back when Remus stated twirling him and dancing in time to the music. Dancing was not something Sirius liked by any measure, but with Remus and his enthusiasm for music, and dancing by default, he would dance. If only to get Remus to sing him to sleep on his restless nights.


	17. Boys Night Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Love requires compromise. A good marriage requires communication.

**Standing On Their Own Two Feet**

* * *

**Boys Night Out**

* * *

Lily was asleep when James moved from the bed. It was full moon. By the time he got to the door she had stirred, "Boys night, Jamie?"

James grimaced in the dark, "Yeah I'll be back by dawn I promise."

Lily frowned James always went out with his friend one night a month and he'd never give her more than a simple marauders tradition explanation. He never smelled like any other girls perfume when he came back he smelled like he had been playing midnight Quidditch except he wouldn't comeback with the typical bruises playing two on two Quidditch would leave him and Sirius. He'd have a few small cuts on his shoulders and back, but nothing major he didn't smell like alcohol. She wondered what he did.

"Will you ever tell me what you really do?"

"As soon as the war is won, Lils," James responded and closed the door.

As soon as he was in the hall tears sprung to his eyes. When would the war be won? When could he stopped telling her the half-truth and letting her heal the little scratched that wouldn't scare her Sirius and Peter always took care of the big things making it so his skin was a smooth as before. Being a stag had its pros and cons, but it was for Remus. Adorable dorky Remus, that looked like his robes were eating him the first time James saw him, besides the worst thing that ever happened to him was a dislocated shoulder and a claw mark on his shoulder or hips. He closed his front door and wiped away his tears. "I love you Lily," He whispered watching the light in Harry's room go on the flicker off a few seconds later. In the morning he'd find Harry in Lily's arms protecting her from loneliness, that James left her in. Alice and Neville would be there too, with Lily and Harry. Neville would normally be on Lily other side. Alice would be in the kitchen frying sausage and making coffee and tea. Frank would walk in after James with a disapproving scowl on his face, but James couldn't explain to Frank about any of it. So he would drink the bitter black coffee and hang his head while Frank looked at James, disgusted with him. When Lily would come down the stairs in her night gown and mess hair, kissing him good morning and healed the shallow scratch on his cheek.

Lily waited until she heard the front door click softly before going to Harry's nursery, "Come on little guy, we're having a sleep over with Auntie Alice." She turned the light off and dissaperated to Alice's house and Alice wrapped her up in warm inviting arms. A diaper bag for Neville was already packed. And Alice would take them all back to Lily's house. Franks would be there in the morning looking like he slept on the couch and he go out for eggs and sausages from the store. James would come back in the morning looking exhausted and guilty with a scratch on his cheek that she'd heal because he would himself. He loved her but he did love her enough to stop with the secret outings. Her only comfort was when the Longbottoms left Sirius and Remus would drop by looking worse than James. And Peter would bring them all take out looking the most exhausted out of the four boys. Lily was lonely one night a month and the rest James was at her side with his friends to keep her protected from the heavy blanket of loneliness. It could be worse, but it wasn't, not yet at least.


	18. Twenty-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius turns twenty-two on November 18, 1981.

**The Lupin Chronicles**

* * *

**Twenty-Two**

* * *

Sirius traced the eighteen tallies on the wall. November first, November second, November third, November fourth, November fifth, November sixth, November seventh, November eight. November ninth. November tenth. November eleventh. November twelfth. November thirteenth. November fourteenth. November, fifteenth. November sixteenth. November seventeenth. November eighteenth, his birthday.

He marked the wall as the sun rose and pale weak sunlight invaded his small cramped cell. That was wet.

Eighteen days had passed since James and Lily died. Eighteen days had passed since little Harry was orphaned. Eighteen days since Voldemort fell. Eighteen days since thirteen innocent people were murdered by Peter. Eighteen days since Peter escaped. Eighteen days since Sirius had been arrested in tears because he realized James and Teddy were  _gone._ His best friends beyond his reach. This was not what he thought his birthday would be like.

Lily was going to make a cake he saw the ingredients in the pantry. A vanilla cake with Gryffendor frosting. James was going to have a little dinner party for Sirius. James, Lily, Peter, and Sirius. Remus was away on mission until December. James would take the polyjuice he had been working on to keep himself busy and they would go to a bar and have few drinks because the last time Sirius and James were at a pub was back in March. They'd have a couple of beers an enjoy the semi peaceful muggle world for a little while before Sirius went back and crashed on the Potters couch because he didn't want to be alone on his birthday. The next morning when Sirius went back he'd open the package Remus had let in their closet before he left. Whatever it was Sirius would have loved it.

This morning, the cold damp morning in Azkaban before it started raining again, Sirius woke from a nightmare where Remus visited him and his face was twisted and contorted in disgust at Sirius for something Sirius  _did not do_. It was like sixth year all over again except without James because James was _dead_   and _never coming back_. Not even if Sirius pinched himself really really hard.

It was all Peter's fault. Peter the rat it should have been rather obvious but Sirius refused to believe it was Peter because marauders were loyal. Pete was to blame for this mess, but the only slightly realistic thing that could happen was for Teddy to wake into the cell right now.

 _Teddy won't you please visit?_  Sirius begged his childhood friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I had put November ninth but I some how changed it to eighteenth and this would be easier to rewrite than the other fic. Sorry for making you read eighteen so many times.


	19. New Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus returns from a few long months at war.

**The Lupin Chronicles**

* * *

**New Years**

* * *

Remus had been away since October fifteenth. Now there was snow on the ground, now he was finally out he could go visit Sirius and then report to Dumbledore before receiving his new orders, breaking rules was something Remus would never give up on. But the most import question now; was it Christmas? Lights were still up and snow was on the ground. He stopped but the Orders HQ to shower and shave. The house was unusually quiet and empty normally there was at least two or three people there at any given moment. Maybe it was Christmas and the war had paused so everyone could enjoy time with their families. Of course living in a werewolf pack was not the best place to be if he wanted to keep up with the times.

Remus grabbed the coat he had left there last time and Alice's scarf mostly because it was colorful and Remus missed color his clothes were normal work clothes white buttoned long-sleeved shirt that probably was still around from his Hogwarts days was only a few years ago and black slacks he had gotten at a half price shop.

He ran down the street joyously feeling foolish but who doesn't feel foolish when they get their first taste of freedom after months of what feels like prison or worse Azkaban. He wondered how big Harry was now. He was almost a year and a half at least. While waiting for the bus he felt a crisp bill in his coat pocket. A smile lifted to his lips as he saw a liquor shop. Maybe Sirius would be in the mood for some wine.

He left the shop a few minutes before the bus showed up. He sat impatiently as he waited for his stop to come up. He should have just apperated. He wondered if Sirius had used the pastels and canvas Remus had bought for Sirius his birthday yet. Probably. Would Lily know she was pregnant again yet? How far along would she be now? At least three months maybe four or five.

Remus fumbled with his key to the cottage excitement over loading him he couldn't wait to hear Lily James and Sirius call out surprise to him he had smelled their scents here he wasn't sure how fresh they were, but they were here. He just knew it. Harry would be there too.

He opened the door at last. No lights flickered on, on their own. Remus flipped the switched and a cold empty house greeted him.

"Sirius? James? Lily? Peter? Harry?" Remus called out in desperation.

Remus set the wine down on the table and went into his and Sirius' bedroom, hoping the lump was asleep in there.

The bed was made. No lump was lying in the bed. He went to the closet to see if the present he had left was still in it. The wrapping was still on it.

Remus bit his lip what could have happened while he was gone? Was Sirius…dead? He put his coat on the bed with Alice's scarf. He went back to the Kitchen tear welling up in his eyes. He shook his long hair out of his eyes when was the last time he lopped off a chunk of it instead of just having Lily trim it? Probably in Third year. A parchment lay on the kitchen table. Remus picked the letter up hoping for the best and preparing for the worse.

It was Dumbledore's hand writing this would not be happy news:

**_Dear Remus,_ **

**_I regret to inform you of this through a letter, but seeing as its highly unpredictable to estimate when you will be able get out of the werewolf pack, this is the only option. I left a letter at the abandoned HQ in case you went there first._ **

**_James and Lily are dead. Harry is currently living at his aunt's house. Peter was awarded an Order of Merlin, First Class postmortem._ **

Remus sat down, this could not be happening. He closed his eyes crying would not bring James and Lily back to life or Peter.

**_Lord Voldemort has been defeated at the price of your friends lives. He is gone, but before he was defeated. He took James and Lily's lives. James died protecting Lily. Lily died protecting Harry. Blood magic still protect Harry while he lives with his aunt. Sirius had broken the Fidelius Charm in telling Lord Voldemort where the Potters were hiding. Peter had tried to overtake Sirius. Sirius managed to kill twelve muggles and Peter Pettigrew. He is currently serving a life sentence in Azkaban-_ **

Remus stopped reading he didn't have the will to go on reading.

New Year's Eve, Remus realized, it was New Year's Eve and he was all alone. It seemed like he was destined not to be happy and friendless. He knew his life was ruined, now his life was dead because his friends were his life and Sirius was his world. His world was dark, damp and reeking of despair.

Inside a house on Strawberry Lane, at a kitchen table was a man. A man with log sandy hair and a broken heart with a bottle of wine that he desperately wished was whiskey, in his hand on New Year's Eve 1982.


	20. A Hair Cut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus gets his hair cut.

**The Lupin Chronicles**

* * *

**A Hair Cut**

* * *

"Hello Sweetie," The blond woman with crazily curly hair greeted Remus, "What can I do for you today?"

"Chop it all off," Remus moved a piece of hair from his face. He still had bag under his eyes from the last two days of boxing up unwanted photos and trinkets, his house, because it was his was bear and empty now.

The women blinked in surprise. Remus though maybe she figured him to be a girl, with hair as long as his no wonder, what he was doing was rather girl and emotional for his normally stolid ways.

"Well sit down, this is going to take a bit if you want it to look good, the sooner I start the sooner its over," She said a tear in her eye. Remus wonder briefly what she lost as he sat down. He noticed a ring on her hand and wondered what her husband was like.

"How long has it been since you last cut your hair?" She asked brushing through his thin hair.

"I haven't cut it since I was fourteen, I'm almost twenty-two," Remus' voice crack's.

"That's a long time any particular reason?"

"I was in love and rebellious," Remus almost smiles. Almost.

"Care to elaborate?"

"He was my best mate and a troublemaker. Fell in with the wrong crowed and ended up in jail only after he cost me everything," Remus shrank down on himself realizing he told her he was gay or bi or whatever he didn't like labels but other people loved them.

"Oh, now none of that, Love is Love" She tap his shoulder sharply, "Sit upright and tell me the rest of the story there's more."

"We went to a boarding school, with our dorm mates, James and Peter we were very troublesome teachers didn't like how we bended the rules so much," Remus said.

"You sound like my husband."

"I'm guessing he didn't do half the things we did," A smirk played on the womans eyes as she pulled out a red hair tie, Gryffendor red, Remus thought, "James fell in love with Lily and she was spit fire. They had a kid together, Harry my unofficial godson…

"Peter, he never really fit in with us. He was left on his own quite often. Peter had grown distant from the rest of us for about four years now," Remus stopped for a minute his eyes glazing over, "he was a good friend though faithful until the end."

"Do you remember the gas explosion in Godric hollow on Halloween night?"

The women shook her head, "I was… away then."

"Me too, business trip," Remus said, "My boyfriend was going over to James and Lily's house for Halloween, Harry was his godson and he was sick so they couldn't go trick or treating. One of the people from the gang he was in went there instead of him and killed James and Lily, but apparently not their son. Peter had found out what my partner did and cornered him. Insanity runs strongly in my partners family and he somehow managed to kill Peter and twelve others, I could guess what was running thought his head but it's safer not to. Harry's all alone in the world now that he's living at his aunt's house. I have no legal right to be in his life any more, I miss him, he was my last link to better times."

The woman had snipped off Remus ponytail, "That's awful."

Remus smiled sarcastically, his safety smile James had told him once he smile sarcastically when he didn't really want to admit how much something meant him, "I'm used to it though, being shut out of people's lives it happened a lot when I was younger and it was just my mum."

The blond women pursed her lips looking like she wanted to say something but didn't know how to she had trimmed his hair and shaved the rest of it leaving less than half an inch of sandy brown hair on his head.

The women took a step back, "There it's done."

Remus ran a hand over the hair on his head. It felt foreign to him.

"What did you say you name was?" the women asked.

"Remus Lupin, I didn't say my name earlier though," Remus paid the women. She looked at the books under the cash register.

"I'm River Song," She said after a bit of debate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise cross over! I don't know if this bit will stay in the next fic, but I had a blast writing it.


	21. Petunia's Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus tries to put his life together again. It turns out some part are to hard.   
> Petunia regrets her former wishes.

**The Lupin Chronicles**

* * *

**Petunia's Gift**

* * *

Petunia Dursley was washing the dishes from the dinner she made. Her nephew and her son were in her living room parallel playing, she didn't have to worry about blocks flying at each other yet the two boys mostly ignored each other.

She may not have been on speaking terms with her sister in the end but she did remember when it was Pet and Lil's against the world and when Harry came to live with them she had a silly hop it would be Harry and Dudley against the world. It was shattered the moment Dudley pinched Harry. She wasn't completely sure what she should have done.

A knock on her door surprised her, pulling her out of her memories. She dried her hands and answered the door.

"Remus?" The man had cut his hair. It made him look younger and yet he looked much older than the last time she saw him, when he was only sixteen. He had visited Lily for the day over the summer in 1976 looking tearful as he arrived then as he did now, "What are you doing here?"

He looked down at his hands faint scares coated them, "I-I wanted to see Harry," Remus started.

"Dumbledore said you shouldn't," Petunia said. Even though her heart was full of scorn for what Albus Dumbledore said, because whenever he spoke to her it was a heavy burden to carry the secrets he told her, Petunia felt an intense need to protect Harry and Remus, because of her sisters connection with the two. If the two say each other it wouldn't be doing anyone a favor. Harry would be unhappy at the Dursley and Remus would regret every little thing.

"I lost everything, Petunia," Remus lifted his golden eyed gaze to Petunia's blue eyes.

"Harry looks just like James with Lily's eyes, do you think it would be a healthy thing for you to see him or him you?"

"I have nothing," A tear slipped from Remus eye, "A cottage with empty rooms and bare wall, photos that I don't want to see, no one does, just let me see Harry so I know I'm not alone," Remus wipes away his tears.

Petunia think about all the forward progress she has made with Harry. He finally seems to understand his parents aren't coming back no matter how much he and Petunia both want them too. Could letting Lily's friend see Harry be such a backward step? How much harm will it really do? Petunia took in Remus' golden amber eyes and shorn sandy hair that grays were making their first appearances in. Was he really only twenty-one? Remus looked so much older than twenty-one he looked like he had seen the world end and he had to continue living on his own, which Petunia though maybe that what it was to her as well, but in Remus he had lost so much more than just a sister she didn't care for. Petunia remembered Lily saying Remus had only a few friends he really cared about. In the war that wasn't hers he probably had lost them all when James and Lily died.

"Give me a moment," Petunia finally ordered. She pulled him in to the front entry wan and told him to stand there as she closed the doors to the living room, "You should see his room, I didn't quite know what he liked I guessed," Petunia said leading him up the stairs to the smallest bedroom she put Harry in. Harry hardly ever used the room most morning Petunia and Vernon found Harry sleeping in any other room besides a bedroom. The bedroom was painted a butter yellow and had sparse furniture. A dresser she had yet to fill. Dudley was a bit older but they shared a wardrobe right now, a toy box half full of wooden blocks and toy cars, a twin bed with blanket featuring a train pattern. A plush animal that looked like a bunny sat in the middle of the room.

"It's nice," Remus commented.

"He doesn't like it."

Remus picked up the toy in the middle of the room, "He had a lot of toys at James and Lily's their friends spoiled him. I went to the house most of them were gone," Remus pulls out a black stuff dog from his pocket, "I found this though," he sets the toy on Harry's bed.

"I don't have any photos of Lily and I, most of my childhood photos were destroyed in the house fire," Petunia says, knowing fully that Remus has pictures of the two of them but the young man completely ignores the hint. Petunia wont asked for pictures if he wouldn't bother to think about it.

"Harry likes woodland creatures like deer and rats, and squirrels," Remus says absentmindedly. Tracing a pattern Petunia can't see on to the wall with his finger, he turns around and looks at Petunia, "May I see him?"

She sighs and takes Remus in to the living room where she left Dudley and Harry playing Harry has a tower he has to stand to reach the top of Dudley is arranging his blocks in a pyramid formation a bit steadier than Harry's wobbly tower.

When Harry caught sight of Remus his face light up. Remus's reactions were different. Tears welled up in his eyes, he took a breath and his fist curled up, the let got.

"Unc'a Moo!" Harry nuzzled Remus' neck puzzled by Remus lack of long hair. Remus hug's Harry fiercely for all that he could not hug. Harry had probably missed out on lots of attention going from a one child home to a two child home.

Harry looks up at Remus with his inquisitive green eyes. Remus swallows as he sees Lily's face flash at him tossing question through her eyes, but its Harry their his question Lily wouldn't ask _why am I all alone? Where's Mummy? Dada? Where was Peter? Why isn't that goofy man with a manic grin here to with you? Do you not love me anymore?_

"They still love you Harry. I still love you, but I have to go far away for a long time and I can't take you with me because it's too dangerous, but someday I will come back for you and we'll go on an adventure of a life time," Remus mummers into Harry's ear, then let's go of the seventeen month old. Tears threatened to spill over as he realized this wasn't only his good bye, but Harry's good bye. The only one's they'd ever get. A gentle kiss was pressed to Harry's new scare; Lily would have a fit about that. Remus turned sharply as he couldn't control his tear ducts. He squeezed his eyes shut in hopes he wouldn't feel the wetness on his face. He walked out of the living room into the front hall where his coat hung. He pulled it on and shoved his knit hat onto his head and went out the door.

"Wait!" Remus' hear Petunia call him, in the cool dreary afternoon. The sky was grey and the ground was grey it gave everything a toned look. Even the snow that was pearly white just that morning was dimmer. He stopped.

"Remus!" Petunia breathed sharply looking near tears herself. Her pink dress and white apron made her look like the teen ager she once was. She looked lost and lonely and most of all sad, "I want you to know we are taking care of Harry even if he hope he won't have magic. He's having a hard time adjusting to the new setting because he doesn't quite understand and to explain it to him…

"Vernon and I are passive aggressive in parenting, he has time outs and it sent to his room for bad behavior so is Dudley. Harry's allowed to choose where he wants to sleep and what he eats-"

Remus held his hands up, "Petunia- It's fine. I'd take care of him, but after today that's not an option coupled with my...condition I agree with Albus I can't take care of Harry even if that were a possibility."

"I'm following what Dumbledore said in his letter, but sometimes- sometimes it's so  _hard,_ because my baby sister is dead. My baby sister," Petunia repeated tear flowing freely from her eyes. Remus didn't think twice in hugging her she needed a shoulder to cry on. One Remus wished he had a few weeks ago.

Petunia spent so much time pretended she didn't have a sister and then suddenly she  _really_ didn't have a sister, her parents words rang all to clear in her ears.  _Be careful what you wish for_. She regretted every time she wished Lily was never born or would _just die_ because she was so annoying.

Petunia cried for ten minutes straight and Remus stroked her blond hair trying to calm the women down.

"Petunia, your son will get cold if you leave the door open any longer," Remus said gently.


	22. Photograph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the end of Harry's first year Remus goes threw the photographs he hasn't scene in a decade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whatever you do, don't listen to [ Photograph](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSDgHBxUbVQ)  
> by Ed Sheeran while you read this.

**The Lupin Chronicles**

* * *

**Photograph**

* * *

Remus stayed at the cottage. He couldn't sell it, no one wanted to buy the house were a mass murder once lived and he had no other place to go. For work he did what he could. Some of it he was proud of some he'd rather forget about entirely. On full moons he locked himself in the cement basement fearful of letting himself inhabit the forest as they had originally intended for him to.

He hated his basement.

One a spring morning he revived a letter. He couldn't remember the last time he had gotten anything other than bills and the paper. It was a good thing there was an account set up for him to withdraw his money from. The date on the letter surprised him, 1992. He was sure it had only been a year since he had last visited Petunia. Apparently he had lost track of time ten years, to be exact, Harry would be in school.

The letter was from Hagrid they had gotten along fine back in school and now Hagrid was looking for photo from Harry's past to give Harry as an early present. Remus had boxes full of photos stored away in his attic, no one had seen the photo's in years. He didn't have a job and he wasn't doing anything today he would spend the day looking through the boxes they couldn't be too painful, right?

Remus brought down several boxes marked as 'Photos' in his scrawl. On top was a colorful scarf he had stolen from Alice. Remus lips quivered Alice had been bossy and kind and bright even if she was a few years older than him. Her son Neville was a day older than Harry. Maybe he would like the scarf, Remus remembered Neville having his parents outgoing attitude that resulted in Harry screaming bloody murder when his toys were taken from him. The first few pictures Remus scooped up mad him laugh. Lily was scowling at a first year James and Sirius. He plucked a few choice ones Harry would probably like from the box of pictures from their school days. There were several photos Remus had no recollection of that featured him and Sirius. He almost stopped right then. But he remembers Harry and he went on. Harry would want to see the photos Petunia had none of her sister. Remus remembered that visit quite clearly.

He comes across a photo that doesn't hurt even just a little to look like. It's of Lily in her sixth year her long hair is caught in the spring breeze and her skirt flutters. She smiles shyly at the pink rose James gave her because he thought she might like it. One hand is tucking a wave of hair behind her ear. Lily looks very pretty in her uniform, the gray skirt and white Oxford with knee highs and black Mary Jane's buckled on her feet in the new soft grass scream out classic Lily. The lake can be seen in the background of the picture. Peter must have taken it, because of how clear it is. Selfishly Remus keeps it to himself Harry wouldn't understand the significance of it. The first time Lily accepted a gift from James without hex's being thrown.

A box labeled 1978 had James and Lily's wedding photos in it. They were nice even if they had  _him_ in it. Baby photos of Harry appeared soon after. James tossed Harry in the air and Sirius laughed. A bundle of pictures Lily had taken on her camera lay face down with her script on the back.  _Family Photos,_ it said. Remus flipped it over and took Lily's hair tie off. The first one was of Lily and James in their living room eating Chinese, Lily's belly protruding with Harry in it. James arm was wrapped around Lily's shoulder and they looked so  _young. Were they really that young back then?_  Remus looked at the mirror on his wall and realized how old he looked for thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two? How old was he? The next James and Lily were at St. Mungo's and Harry was in Lily's arms and James looked every bit the proud father. The photos varied from then on there was at least every week until Remus came across that he really did remember. It felt like just last week when really it happened eleven years ago.

_James and Lily had gone out for the day and asked Remus and Sirius to watch five month old Harry. Remus was feeding the baby a bottle. Sirius was in the kitchen making them something non liquid like to eat. Remus was cooing to harry about Christmas which was just around the corner. The Potters Christmas tree was twinkling in the corner with what Remus thought was fairy lights, but you never really knew with James and Sirius._

_Remus was so caught up in talking to harry about the adventures they'd have in the snow he doesn't notice Sirius creeping up behind him pressing his chin to Remus shoulder. Somehow in the course of two years Remus had grown taller than Sirius. Growing up Sirius was the tallest until fourth year when Remus finally reached Sirius height then for a few years they were the same height until a few months ago when Remus started growing again._

_"You make such a great father," Sirius whispered while his arms raped around Remus waste touching his stomach enough to make Remus blush. Sirius pecked Remus on the cheek and a flash went off. They both looked at the hallway arch to the Potter front hall to spot Lily standing there with her big black camera grinning like an idiot with a photo drying in her fingers. James tried and failed miserable to hide his adoration of his two friends. Remus remembered him once bursting into the dorm one saying he hated them because he didn't know which friend to stand by if either one of them dumped the other. He finally resolved to dunk both their heads in cold water no matter who caused the pain._

Remus set the photo aside that would not be for Harry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear this was written before the song the song tittle just first it better


	23. Safety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once Hogwarts was home, now it is just safety.

**The Lupin Chronicles**

* * *

**Safety**

* * *

Remus knew exactly what he was doing. Dumbledore wouldn't have offered the job this year if he didn't think Remus didn't need the protection. Sirius Black had broken out of Azkaban and Remus was among the last of Blacks surviving friends, well the only one. He was going back to Hogwarts to teach and protect and be protected.

Still he couldn't help but wonder if Professor McGonagall was trying to protect him a bit more than she would have if he hadn't kissed Sirius in plain view of her.

It doesn't matter as he is still haunted by the ghost of the boys he once knew. He wakes up each morning in cold sweat thinking his life had been a terrible dream only to realize it wasn't. Some mornings he has doesn't get out of bed.  When he is alone a voice whispers in his ear even though the men are dead. Hogwarts may be safe to most but it was a very dangerous place for his own mind.


	24. Moving in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus finally starts to heal.

**The Lupin Chronicles**

* * *

**Moving in**

* * *

"You keep it?" Sirius asked shocked to see the little cottage he and James looked at all seventeen years ago still standing.

"I couldn't afford much else. It was practically free. Who wants to live in the house of a mass murder?" Remus carries out a box into the kitchen.

Sirius blushed, "I got you something about fourteen year ago for your birthday you never opened it and I never had a use for it," Remus hands him packed wrapped in faded paper.

Sirius opens it tentatively. The canvas and paints surprised him. There were brushes and an easel a full set.

"James and Lily helped out," Remus says. Sirius is in awe how long has it been since he did something creative and productive. Years.

"Wow." Sirius ran his hands over the tubes of paint.

"I have the other stuff too from back then," Remus says.

Sirius raises his eyebrow as if to say  _'Really?'_

"The house isn't bare because I like it bare. I put them all away because I didn't want to face the memories; I only got the picture of Lily out after I realized Harry was at school. I kind of released there were some things I could remember without crying but most of the photos featured you so they stayed in their boxes," Remus explains.

"Bring them with you to Grimmuald," Sirius said.

Remus brow furrowed, "Grimmuald? Why are we going to Grimmuald?"

"I offered it up when I heard what happened to the old Head Quarters."

Remus blushes, "I set it on fire actually."

Sirius snorts, "Any reason in particular?"

"I was mad and desperate. I had just seen Harry at a Petunia's and I went back to there on instinct and I saw a photo of the four of us and just…I lost it…Dumbledore wasn't too upset just unhappy that I wouldn't tell him what really happened."

Sirius smirked imaging Remus losing it and blasting a photo to pieces that 'accidently' set the house on fire.

Remus ignores Sirius chuckles and drinks his tea plotting revenge for later.

**~June 16, 1996~**

Remus came back from mission to Grimmuald place to find Sirius sleep deprived and pouring over the scraps of their past.

"Sometimes I wish we could go back to these times," Sirius said.

"We can't relive our youth,Sirius it part of being human."

Sirius rubbed his eyes, "I miss him Rem." Gem, Remus rhymed with his name Remus looked at the paper in front of him with Peter, James, Teddy, Sirius and Remus drawn on it.

"I thinks it's time we put these away," Remus said.

"I found you're ponytail it's in a shoe box with a red hair tie on it. You cut it the day after new years 1982." Sirius stated.

"It was a lot of hair."

"I miss it too," Remus smile sardonically, "I can't say I miss it as much, it was a constant reminder of what I went through with James and Lily and _Peter_  and most importantly you," Remus said. "Pick up a box and put it in your room."

Sirius and Remus worked for about an hour's stuffing all of one of the room connected to Sirius bedroom technically it was theirs. Sirius got his sketch book from the side draw in his room and placed it in the room before Remus sealed it off. And tucked Sirius in to bed and crawled into bed with him stroking his hair and watching him sleep peacefully looking eighteen again. This summer they would tell Harry about their relationship, together, Sirius had finally managed to get him to agree to it.

 


	25. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nymphadora and Charlie Weasley are reunited

**Pink Haired Dragons**

* * *

  **Reunion**

* * *

 

Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors really shouldn’t be such an explosive mix. This year 1984, though it was. To be perfectly honest it was just two of the students, Charlie Weasley and Nymphadora Tonks, that were reactive when put together.

Apparently, to McGonagall disappointment, they remembered each other.

“Hey! Hey you Freckle-Face!” Andromeda’s daughter was nothing short of a nightmare. McGonagall. A few short years ago though she had two mentors to teach her how to wreak havoc the most effectively.

“Poofy!” Charlie grinned, “You’re a badger!”

“You’re a stinky lion!” She says. They both giggle and run off together. Nymphadora in her bright hair and messy uniform, Charlie and his dirt smudged trousers climbing trees and making noise like children should.


	26. Ghosts Don’t Stand Still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nymphadora and Charlie look through the history books

**Pink Haired Dragons**

* * *

  **Ghosts Don’t Stand Still**

* * *

 

They are in second year before Nymphadora remembers her mentor.

“Tonks! Look at this,” Charlie says his curly red hair flopping over his forehead much like four boys that used to be the librarian bane of existence.

“It’s about the War,” Charlie puts the large tome between the two and flips open the page his finger marked.

“Really they are published books that already in the Hogwarts Library on one of the most interesting parts of resent wizarding history?” Nymphadora asks, “It can’t be any good.”

“It has information on the Potters!” Charlie’s grin was infectious.

“No way!” Nymphadora tugs the book towards her.

There’s the famous photo of James and Lily on their wedding day, at the top with the basic history of the two aurors:  Lily Evans, muggleborn born January 30th, 1960. James Potter pureblood born March 27th, 1960.

“She’s older than him.” Nymphadora says quietly.

“Just a few months, though, they’d be twenty five by now and Harry is five,” Charlie said.

“How do you know that?” Nymphadora demands.

“Ron is the same age, at least that is what Mum says.”

Nymphadora’s eyes are pulled towards the bottom of the page. “I know them,” She pointed to a photo of four boys ginning in their late teens. One is James Potter. His arms are slug around a gorgeous boy to his right and a short beady eyed boy to his left. On the right there is a good looking boy with mousy long hair and few scares.

“Right to left: Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin,” Charlie says, “Wasn’t Sirius Black the one who killed Peter Pettigrew?”

“He is my mums cousin,” Nymphadora’s eyes are wide and round, she is scared, “I don’t want to kill you.” She sobs.

“Nymph!” Charlie cried shocked by her emotions he doesn’t know how to handle it, “We’re not going to kill each other, and we weren’t even in the same house. We’ll be fine you’ll see!” Charlie grins.

“But they were best friends,” Nymphadora says.

“Let’s read a bit more, any way if he’s you’re mum’s cousin it like you’re not even related at all.”

Nymphadora hiccuped, “Okay.”

“Sirius Orion Black the Third was the first of his family to be sorted into any other house besides Slytherin in almost three centuries. His sorting into Gryffindor was quick and rapid shocking most of the hall. It is reported from various sources that he Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew joined him just before James Potter sat next to him. The four of them were close during their seven years at Hogwarts.  Sirius was disinherited from his family when he was around sixteen, it is suspected he was living with the Potter for the last two years of his Hogwarts education.  Nothing confirms or denies this…” Charlie whispered.

“He was always making trouble at home,” Nymphadora says, “Mum would chaise him around with a fire poker. Or a newspaper, that always made him laugh. She always seemed so happy.”

“Mate your family is weird than mine,” Charlie says.

“Shut up!”


	27. Sickle for Your Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie and Nymphadora try something new

**Pink Haired Dragons**

* * *

 

**Sickle for Your Thoughts**

* * *

 

“Do you know if girls like dragons?” Charlie asks her fourth year. She’s standing at the top of the astronomy tower watching the sunset. He was not invited.

“We’ll I like dragons,” She says.

Charlie bits his lip, “What about other girls, Nymph?”

“Well I supposed you’ll have to conduct a survey for that,” Nymphadora says.

“But that’s not helpful!” Charlie whines.

“What do you suppose happened to Remus Lupin?” She asks.

“Who?”

“James Potters other friend, you know the one that everyone forgets?” She pressed, “I asked Professor Bins what happened to him, and he just ignored me. Then I asked Sprout and she brushed me off. I asked McGonagall and she got a distant look in her eyes like he died or something.”

“Maybe he made new friends and got a job that let him make ends meet. Maybe he married. Maybe just wanted to forget his years at Hogwarts so bad that he went muggle. Maybe he…” Charlie trailed off.

“He always smelled like chocolate,” She says, “He’d give me a piece when he and Sirius watched me and tell me not to give it to the dog. Sirius always protested that part.” Charlie shut up and listened to her, “I remember him happy most of the time…do…do you think he killed himself?” Her eyes are devoid of tears.

“No, he probably moved on.”

“I asked my mum this summer if we could write to him, she gave me a look and said no in a final sounding tone.”

“When my mum does that she usually has a good reason why,” Charlie says leaning in.

Her lips tasted sweet and sad, she kissed him back. While the sun set they moved from kissing to snogging. Nymphadora thought it was wonderful, Charlie didn’t quite get it, but enjoyed holding her none the less.

“Does this change anything between us?” She asks.

“I don’t know aren’t you the older one?” Charli smiles.

“We’re still best friends.”

“Who snog?” Charlie says.  Looking at Nymphadora Charlie had never thought of her as weaker or less than because she is a girl. Right now her eyes are green and her lashes hover in a space between pink and brown. He heart shaped face and swollen lips, she doesn’t look any stronger than he is. She look like she will fly away with a whimsical thought. 

“Maybe.” She says.

Charlie doesn’t know if he can be the one to tether her to one place.


	28. Nesting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They work until they don't.

**Pink Haired Dragons**

* * *

  **Nesting**

* * *

 

“Charlie!” Nymphadora gasps out. Charlie scoops her up and holds her to him pressing her back to the wall while he kisses her.

It’s Charlie’s week off and Nymphadora has decided to visit him, it was sort of a surprise, sort of planned. His more-than-a-day-old stubble is rubbing on her neck.

“Nymph, you’re here,” He murmurs.

She laughs.

“What to come back to my place? Well, er room?” Charlie stumbles.

Nymphadora looks around with a smirk on her face, “My ma was right you boys only have one thing on your mind.”

“Ha ha, very funny what about the week before seventh year whos idea was that?” Charlie sasses her back.

“Shut up and kiss me,” She pulls his face towards her.

* * *

 

“You know my auror training ends soon,” Nymphadora says to Charlie’s sleep mussed hair.

“Mmhm,” Charlies says.

“Are you thinking of coming back to England?” Nymphadora says.

Charlie groans and rolls over. He’s body is more muscled than it ever was in Hogwarts. Freckles, scares and burns cover his chest. He’s always been handsome in her eyes.

“Dora what would I do in England? I like it out here. Back in England Mum and Dad would bug me to get married and settle down. I want that but I don’t want that yet. Here my work matters and I’m helping animals,” Charlie says.

“I don’t think I can do this anymore Charlie,” Nymphadora says.

Charlie doesn’t even looked shocked, “I’m sorry.”

“No you aren’t,” Nymphadora says, “I never wanted you to choose, I won’t make you.”

Charlie hugs her, “You deserve someone better.”

“Who could possibly be better than my best friend?” 

* * *

 

She didn’t expect this. Here she was twenty-four years old just married and Remus had to leave. Order business and what not. Most likely what not. And the doorbell rings. The doorbell to Remus Lupins cottage.

“Who is it?” She asks.

“Poof,” Charlie answers.

“Freckle face,” she opens the door and hugs Charlie. He should have been at her wedding.

“Look at you all married and stuff.” Charlie says. She wonders how he knew where she was.

She smiles even though she wants to cry, “Yeah.”

“So where is your husband?” He look like he feels awkward saying that

“We had poor timing. He needed to take off,” She doesn’t imagine where he could have gone.

“It happens,” Charlie hold up a bottle of wine. She brought that to him the last time she visited him in Romania, “Want to talk?”

She goes to the kitchen and grabs two mugs, Remus hasn't shown he where he keep the wine glasses, “The living room is this way.”

The wine is good, Charlie is funny and warm and _here_ with her. She leans into kisses him. He doesn't hesitate. So they are naked and entangled and satisfied. 

When they wake up on the floor the next morning, Nymphadora wished she hadn’t married Remus. “I made the wrong choice,” she whispers.

“I’m sorry,” Charlie says in to her skin.

She doesn’t correct his mistake.


	29. Heir to a Legacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the War everyone thinks Charlie is on his own.

**Pink Haired Dragons**

* * *

  **Heir to a Legacy**

* * *

 

Charlie didn’t like to be home. He never did. His mother and father didn’t understand him, it was teenage angst. They wanted him to settle down and have family like the rest of his siblings. He did, but the women he wanted wasn’t around anymore.

He talked to Bill about it sometimes. Nymphadora was the only women he’d ever felt that way for, even when they were kids. He’d look at other girls and even boys for the hell of it and felt nothing. Bill said that was okay, maybe that’s just how he was. Lots of people were like that just look at Dumbledore. Charlie seriously doubt that. He was fairly certain that Dumbledore sprung up out of nowhere as an old man, back then.

Then again there were other wizards who didn’t want to settle down, like McGonagall and Sprout.

He was only home for a few weeks. He ended up watching Teddy, James and the girls. He tried not to resent Teddy for being like his mother.

“Uncle Charlie!” James cried, “Play dragons with me!” the five year old demanded. Teddy grained at him from the floor where James Dragon toys were thrown.

“Okay,” He looks over at the girls playing with their dolls and trucks. They seemed pretty content Victoria and Molly might start fighting at any minute.

Charlie played with James and Teddy listening to all of James story’s and Teddy’s explanations to them and told them a few facts about dragons. Teddy listened with intent. Charlie wondered not for the first time if Teddy was his.

He brushed the selfish though away. Teddy was a heir to a Legacy that Charlie didn’t have. Why rock the boat when everyone else was happy?

Still some nights he fell asleep to thoughts of raising Teddy with Nymphadora, even though it would have never worked. Maybe he could have given up his demanding job in Romania and gone for a less intensive job, and had a happy life with Nymph and Teddy.


	30. Reunion Reprised

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their end would be better than their beginning.

**Pink Haired Dragons**

* * *

  **Reunion Reprised**

* * *

 

Remus and his friends had left, Peter dissipated into thin air and she was alone. They hadn’t told her what to do, or what they did to pass the time. It’s a white room except it’s not a room.

She gets bored quick.

Sirius always said the quickest way to go insane was to be left alone with nothing to do. She tells her self a story until her throat is dry and her lips cracked. She practices all sorts of shifts she would have never attempted when she was alive. She can't die again now, can she?

She doesn’t expect the warms arms that wrap around her until Charlie’s voice is in her ear.

“He’s mine isn’t he?”

She sobs, Charlie is dead, but she is not alone.

“Of course he is.”

He kisses her sweetly and she finally let’s go. They both do.


	31. Knowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus and Tonks each grieve in their own way.

**Wonder of The Damned**

* * *

**Knowing**

* * *

Nymphadora knew. She knew Remus and Sirius had been in a relationship and she still loved him. He looked so broken after Sirius had died. She guesses that's why she did it. She shifted her hair darker and her shoulder wider her spun her face longer, more hollow, her eyes silver, her jaw more masculine. She sat down next to him and gave him a cup of hot chocolate. He looked up at her and kissed her. She was shocked she let it go her hair was shorter and pinker, her shoulder slimmer, her face fuller and her eyes blue.

Remus back away, "Sorry."

"No it's okay I- I meant to keep my head calm and let you say good-bye to him."

Tears spilled over Remus eyes, "But it's not fair to you, you like me and I'm in love with a dead man, not you."

"I can face heart ache, Lord know I have before," Tonks says. they are both teary eyed.

"You don't need to be strong for two of us, he was you're cousin, and you're a good girl. Wholesome and pure you shouldn't have to face that kind of hurt," Remus says.

"You loved him, he was just my mum's cousin," Nymphadora says chocking on her own words.

Remus tucks a strand of pink hair behind her ear and kisses her cheek, "You're too kind Nymphadora."

"Dora," Tonks corrects him.

"Thank you," The look in Remus eyes changed and Nymphadora knew he wasn't seeing her anymore. He was seeing Sirius. Nymphadora had become a replacement. She understood why so many Metamorphamagi never married, they were never seen for who they really were.


	32. Forgetful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She knew what she signed up for, but that doesn't mean she was okay with it.

**Wonder of The Damned**

* * *

**Forgetful**

* * *

The little cottage Remus brought her to bare and empty. She didn't ask why. She simply put flare of color in removable places. If she was to die, Remus would only throw away the little bits of her but if she painted a wall the reminder of her would haunt him like Sirius haunted him every time he walked into the cottage. Their room was the one place she couldn't see Sirius haunting him. Teddy's room was another story. She figured that he switched the master room when he brought her there. he did love her she remained herself. He loved her enough to marry her and have a baby with her. He did all the things a married man would do for the wife he loved, but they seem practiced and formal to her.

When she woke up in their bed May1st, 1998 she saw him smile in his sleep. Teddy fussed in the room down the hall. When she walked in to it smelled vaguely like cigarette smoke. Last night after coming home from the Weasley she found Remus outside with a cigarette under his shoe. She didn't mention it when his breath smelled like tobacco when he kissed her cheek. She picked her infant son up and smiled as he shifted his hair to her normal spikey pink and smiled. Her heart broke as she remembered that Teddy didn't actually know he was smiling at her. he shifted again as baby metamorphamagi often do. His eyes took on Remus amber color and her mother's dark black hair. The black family hair. Her eyes traced the other familiar features on Teddy face and for a second she saw what could have been Remus' and Sirius' child. She held her son close swaying him back to sleep. She didn't have postpartum depression, she reassured herself, it was just the war.

She noticed a photograph on the changing table that wasn't there before. A Harry look alike with hazel eyes had his arms around a redhead with green eyes. Two boys sat next to them, one with black hair and the other with amber eyes. The black haired boy had his arm wrapped around the amber eyed boy and their pinkies were linked. Remus had been looking at old photos last night Nymphadora figured out. She flipped it over because she could not put her finger on the colorful room they were in.

_Jamie and the three weirdest people he has ever meet Lil's Pad's and Moons. Spring 2019._

Nymphadora felt her sons breath on her skin telling her he was asleep. She put him Teddy down in his crib and sat down on the ground controlling her tears. This was why Remus was happy, he knew he was going to be with Sirius again.

It's just a photograph she told herself, that still didn't explain why it was dated twenty one years in the future. How could Remus get a hold of this? A time traveler, a spell gone wrong, a mutant potion, anything. Tonks picked the photo up and aimed her wand at it determined to destroy it.

She couldn't, but she could hide it. Remus had boxes in the attic of his old school photos he never looked at. She found a box labeled School days and stuck the photo in there before heading to the kitchen to start breakfast. When she was mixing up the batter in a Recipe Molly gave her Remus was in the kitchen with his navy blue pajama bottoms and he looked so happy. He grabbed her waist and kissed her good morning, "You look lovely this morning, Pad's," he said. She froze checking on her features. Black hair, sliver eyes and a shapeless torso.

"You're in a good mood," Nymphadora said not mentioning his mistake.

Remus looked at her though his too long hair, "I have a feeling something good is going to happen soon, that's all."


	33. Molly's Wonder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Molly over hears a conversation she wasn't meant to. She is left with questions, the answers trickle to her in drips and drabs over the years.

**Wonder of The Damned**

* * *

**Molly's Wonder**

* * *

**~ January** **1981~**

While the Potter's and the Weasley's weren't the closest of families there were occasions when Gideon and Fabin would bring them over to their older sister Molly' house for dinner.

This time Remus and Sirius came along with then and the six of them looked very concerned.

"Do you know what you two are going to do?" Fabin asked Lily and James.

"We're going to wait and think." James says looking at Sirius and Remus. Lily pulled Harry closer at the thought.

"How long do we wait?" Lily asked them. Molly set the food on her table and her two oldest sons Bill and Charlie put the plates and silverware down.

"Teddy didn't specify." Sirius said.

"There is such a thing as waiting to long Sirius," Remus half-teases half-reminds him with an impish grin. A grin that that just reinforces to everyone what dangerous times they are in.

"Yeah."

Molly watches their exchange with interest. Waiting and thinking over a solution with waiting making the normally spunky Lily worried like only a good protective mother can. And Teddy, was he one of their new friends? Gideon and Fabin have been hanging around a new crowd Molly didn't know what they were doing but they were her older brothers. They might be mischief makers and a bit too influential on Fred and George but that could only be expected when they asked to be the boys god fathers. Molly though it was a great idea. Her older brothers always had a plan for every bump in Molly's road.

"Mummy!" Percy cried from the stairs.

"What is it Perce?" Molly went to her little boy while her brother and their friends talked.

"My book is gone!" Percy wailed.

"Oh hush darling, you had filled it up anyways we'll get you a new one soon."

Percy rested his head on Molly's shoulder listing to her heart beat. "Can it be blue?"

"Of course sweetie." Molly told Percy.

After dinner while Remus and Lily helped take care of dishes Remus looked at Molly with mild interests then said, "August, it'll be August." Lily elbowed him and hissed in his ear. "You should do things like that."

What'll be August?

**~December 1981~**

Molly still wondered who their Teddy was who told James and Lily to wait and think was. Which side had he been on? She couldn't ask her brother's they had been killed just days after that visit to her house. and Sirius, a traitor? He was a perfect gentlemen to Molly and her family but it comes with their breeding and he was a Black they were very good at hiding their true motives from anyone. He had seemed a bit close with that odd one, Remus was his name? What had happened to him?

Little Baby Ginny, Molly only girl who had been born in August, howled. The little girl was lucky growing up without a war looming over her head.

**~September 1995~**

The children had been at school for few days, was it a week yet? Molly was still not use to Grimmuald Place. She could still see the ghost of grandeur she had visited as a child when her mother had called on Walburga with her at the side as a four year old. Molly loved Arthur dearly but sometimes she regretted marrying a man with no money. These were selfish thoughts but Molly had grown up with money and hoped to give her kids at least a little.

"Remember what Teddy said," Molly heard Remus talking in the Kitchen.

Teddy? Molly vaguely remembered the name falling from Sirius's lips long ago and a few times this past summer.

"To wait and think, Rem, Of course I remember what he said what do you think I was doing in Azkaban?"

"You were only there because you didn't think." Remus scolds.

"It's a bit hard to think when I was on my own. Why couldn't I get there a bit earlier before he did? I was fussing with something unimportant."

"This is unimportant Pads," Remus said with finality.

"No, it is important. I hate hiding and keeping something like this under wraps."

"Pads..." Remus says softly.

"What house is Tonks in?" Sirius asked out of the blue.

"I wouldn't know, don't want to remember?" Remus tells Sirius.

"I miss him," Sirius says softly.

"I know, love." Remus murmured far below Molly's prying ear shot.

"Everything Teddy said promise so much but at such a price," Sirius said to his cup of coffee.

"We grew up in the middle of a war, he grew up in a time of peace."

"I just wish I could see him just one more time give him something better than forty chocolate frogs. Remember Minerva's face when she went to get us and found the chocolate frog wrappers?"

Remus chuckled. "How could I forget? I was almost expecting a detention slip."

Molly now felt she was invading a privet moment of two old friends and left her mind whirling.

**~ April 1998~**

Molly was making dinner for her family in hiding and the Lupin's were coming over for dinner as well. Well just Nymphadora Tonks now Lupin and her child. The baby was only a few weeks old. Theodore Remus Lupin was what Molly had been told when she asked Andromeda what her grandchild's name was.

When Nymphadora had gotten there Molly was busy in the kitchen. Fred, George and Ginny were greeting Nymphadora and her baby with lots of coo's on Ginny's part. Fred and George being twenty-one year old men weren't very interested in the baby and got bored quickly. When Molly finally got a chance to sit and talk to Nymphadora it was after dinner.

"Why couldn't Remus come tonight?" Molly asked.

"Full moon, Molly," Nymphdora said with a smile and adjusted Theodore in her arms.

Molly shook her head there was so much she could forget in times of war.

"Does Theodore-"

"Teddy doesn't take after his father in that respect." Nymphadora confirmed.

"Teddy?"

"Remus started calling him that after I named him."

**~ June 1998~**

Molly never really knew who the Teddy, Remus and Sirius spoke of was but sometimes she had her suspicions. She never wanted them to be confirmed or denied if it be she was in the wrong about who she thought he was.

 


	34. A Child's Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Occasionally it is coincidence.

**Wonder of The Damned**

* * *

**A Child's cry**

* * *

Miss. Williams picked up the baby boy who appeared at the orphan age back in November he had grown like any normal child and papers for him were procured. He did not have a family medical history and that's why they were here today, "Shh darling it'll be over in a minute," She whispered to the crying boy.

As the needle entered his leg his arms flew up to Miss Williams ears pulling on her little black pearls that she had bought form a filthy man in raggedy robes and dirty ginger hair on a street corner about three or four years ago. The baby boy let out a whimper after the needle had been withdrawn. He cried out at they left the clinic. To Miss Williams the cry sounded like that of a person who had lost someone dear to them, of course Mrs. Estella would say Miss Williams had an over active imagination. She wasn't quite sure what to do with the baby and his crying. She hushed his ear like the books said when a child was incontrollable in its crying and pressed his other ear to her chest. He's sobs subsided but she could neither make heads nor tails of what had set him off in the first place.

 


	35. A Second Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a ancient and unusable magic in the world even muggles are aware of. Some people are the lucky recipients.

****Rebuilding Their Lives** **

* * *

**A Second Chance**

* * *

Every time Lucius and Narcissa's child looked in the mirror he was always surprised to see blond hair.

After he turn sixteen he felt a strong sense of loss as if an older brother abandoned him shortly afterwards Lucius went to Azkaban. The strange thing about it was he was almost glad Lucius went to Azkaban Death Eaters deserved Azkaban.

When he was in his final year of Hogwarts he and his friend were goofing off in a rare moment of peace perhaps they weren't be very kind with their words.

"Red hair, freckles and hand-me-down robes, you must be a Weasley!" His friend howled.

The words he had said before as an innocent child they didn't really haunt him because they were true even if they were cruel. The words that haunted him were never said out loud _. Grey eyes, pureblood, and a hand-me-down soul? You must be a reincarnation!_

The unsaid words rang in his ears for years until he walked into Harry Potter office quite by accident he was looking for a paper clip, nervous for his upcoming wedding his mother was preparing the manner for. He did truly love his soon-to-be wife; he would have loved her if she was a muggleborn or perhaps even a muggle. Unconditionally came to mind, he loved her unconditionally.

Two lockets sat on Harry's desk. Ones with an S encrusted with green emeralds. The other looked quite familiar. He reached out to touch it. It zapped him in the dry winter air. Then magic was flowing in to him. He closed his eyes memories flowed behind his eye lids in harmony. He may not have asked for this but he was given the greatest gift ever: rebirth. He wasn't Draco Lucius Malfoy. No, he was Regulus Artculus Black here for the second time.


	36. Photo Albums

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry was never very patient with stories.

**Rebuilding Their Lives**

* * *

**Photo Albums**

* * *

Harry was frustrated.

He was the-boy-who-lived, the Chosen one, the Savior to the Wizarding world and he was frustrated. He kicked the wall. Again.

"Screw it Screw it all!" Harry shouted to no one in particular. The war was over wasn't? Yet here Harry was sitting on the floor of his godfather house nursing- a broken foot? Harry had probably kicked the wall to hard but he had good reason to. In the past three months since the war Harry had been searching for anything and everything his parents, his godfather and his favorite D.A.D.A. teacher had left behind. You'd think at thirty-eight Remus Lupin would have something besides some bad records -who were the Smiths anyway? And Jazz? Who even listened to that?- a worn suitcase and a single diary left.

Well he did have a ponytail in a shoe box with a date on it January 2, 1982. Shudder. A bit old don't you think? At least to keep around. Why would he do a thing like that anyway? Does he know about polyjuice? Then again he is a werewolf. And polyjuice only works on humans.

Harry craved one thing that his dead loved ones should have left behind. Photographs.

He couldn't find a single one. Sure he still had the ones Hargid had given him his first year but they weren't in Albums that told stories. They were just there, in a logical sequence.

Harry didn't know the first thing about his parents. Sure he knew the big things but he didn't know the little things that makes a person a person. What was James favorite color? Did Lily have a preference in what band she listen to on the radio? Did they really love each other like Arthur and Molly or like Lucius and Narcissa.

"Harry?" A voice called, Andromeda walked into the hall her Harry was sitting, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing apparently," Harry muttered.

"This is not nothing young man."

"I was looking for photos of them to see what their story was like," Harry confessed.

Andromeda sat down on the floor. Things replaying in her memory that shoe could tell him. She couldn't tell him much, least not much of what he wanted to know. Teddy sat in her lap as Andromeda held Harry's hands.

"Darling, their story will come to you when you least expect it and in ways you never dreamed of. But only when you are ready for it," Andromeda told him hoping she was right.

 


End file.
